


Ranger: The Ghost of the North

by chaosphoenix123



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV), Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (Video Game)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-06
Updated: 2017-09-02
Packaged: 2018-04-08 00:03:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 35,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4283043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaosphoenix123/pseuds/chaosphoenix123
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Talion is send to King's Landing. There he'll become a swordsman that all the world will soon fear. The Reach has the Knight of Flowers. The Westerlands have The Hound,The Mountain and The Kingslayer. The Riverlands have The Blackfish. Dorne has The Red Viper. The Iron Islands have The Iron Captain. The Stormlands have The Maid of Tarth. And now The North has The Ghost. Slight AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Brothel

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Notes: Talion is be teleported to where Ned Stark is about to fight Jamie and his men outside Littlefinger's Brothel. Now the first part where he in Mordor is the Same as Shadow Ranger, but from there it will be different. Unlike my other story Talion will be using his Wraith abilites more often due to him facing actual soldiers this time around, not peasants. They remind him too much of the Outcast and slaves he saved in Mordor. Also remember Urfael is his sword, Acharn is his dagger, and Azkar is Celebrimbor's bow that Talion uses. In this story Celebrimor really is bound to Talion's body, adds more creative to the story.

Disclaimers: I do not own Game of Thrones or Shadow of Mordor

 

Talion stands over the body of Sauron, or at least the Black Hand possess by Sauron. Celebrimbor has return back to his body, along with Sauron "death".

"It over, it finally over, Ioreth and Dirhael, you can finally rest", Talion nearly cries. A ghostly figure appears next to him.

"You have walk a long and hard road Talion, but now it has come to an end", Celebrimbor said.

"But what now?", Talion asks.

"I do not know ranger, for I'm still deciding on that", Celebrimbor said.

"I was hoping we stay here, mop up the remnants of Sauron's army….", Talion started to say before a huge burst of magic in the form of black light erupts from the Black Hand's body.

"What going on?!", Talion scream over the loud noise.

"It must be a reaction to Sauron leaving the Black Hand's body, and all the magic back draft!", Celebrimbor responded.

The black light moves toward Talion at a fast pace.

"Talion quick, channel all of my magic at the light, Now!", Celebrimbor screams.

Talion focus everything he has into the creeping black light. As the two forces collide they create an explosion that engulfs Talion in a bright light of black and blue/white fighting against each other. It is the last sight he see before his world goes dark.

King's Landing on the Street of Silk

The heavy smell of incense and the sound of alluring music brings Talion back to the world of the living, or as close as it can for Talion.

While the music soothed his pulsing headache little , the smell only kept it from going away.

"What in Smaug's balls happen?", he asks.

"It would seem my magic combining with the black magic somehow transports us somewhere away from Mordor, Celebrimbor said, "Also what does a Dragon's genitals have to with our situation?".

"It a figure of speech", Talion answers.

"You humans and your confusing notions. Just say what you mean", Celebrimbor says.

"Now that your whining out the way, where are we?" Talion asks as he finally able to stand up.

And take a look around.

At first glance he can tell that he in a city, but a city unlike any he ever been before. The city has a port brimming with ships, while off in the distance he see a grand castle, it color a bright red that towers over the city. Not that far from it is another giant circular building, but he cannot make out what it is.

"Where are we?" Talion asks.

" I do not know Ranger, but it is unlike any place I ever been before", Celebrimbor said, "We should try to get our bearing Ranger, and hopefully in time we can make it Valinor, or at least back to Mordor".

Suddenly Talion hears a series of noises that he is all too familiar with: the sound of swords leaving their sheathes, the sound of armor moving abruptly, the sound of metal piercing thru flesh, and the sound of men dying.

"Stand down, I want see if I can change his mind about letting my brother go", a voice rings out .

Running to the edge of the roof where the sound came from, he looks down to see two men with their swords out surrounded by at least twenty armored guards wearing red armor with spears. In the middle of the guards stood a blonde man with a smirk on his face, while also having his sword out and pointing it at the two men. The way he held his sword suggested to Talion that this man was no average swordman. Talion also notice the two dead men lying near the duo.

This is your last chance Ned Stark", the blonde man says, "Tell your darling wife to release my brother before I killed the rest of your men, and maybe you just to send her a warning".

"You killed me and your brother a dead man." The taller of the duo, who Talion presume is Ned Stark said, "Now by the power granted to me as Hand of the King I order you to stand down, Jamie Lannister!.

The man Jamie only precede to laugh as he continues to point his sword at them.

"You forget where you are Stark. King's Landing belongs to House Lannister, despite Robert sitting on the throne, you killed me and your family will suffer for it", Jamie said, "I'll claim it was in self-defense, beside its will be me and my guards words against a dead man, and beside you Were the Hand of the King until a while ago remember".

Ned face takes on a look that suggest his bluff has been called.

"Either way I refuse to release your brother, now stand down!" "Causing more bloodshed will resolve nothing", Ned Stark said.

"It will make me feel better and tell your sweet Catelyn that I mean business, and if that not enough then we'll use your precious daughters as extra leverage", Jamie says.

Ned Stark face now changes to that of anger, but also concern for his family. While on top of the roof above him Talion face is just rage.

"This bastard dares threaten a man's children so casually, and is afraid to fight him one on one, cowards", Talion said.

"This is no time to involve in affairs that are not our own, Ranger. We must gather information on where were at and how we can get back to Mordor at least", Celebrimbor said.

"But I cannot not lets this slide, it is not honorable", Talion said, "So few against so many".

"Ranger, we are in a strange new land, new people, new culture, and new rules. This seem to be nothing more that a power play by two powerful factions and it would be against our better judgment to get in the middle of it, do you hear me Ranger?!", Celebrimbor ask.

But Talion is done listening, and done watching. As he see Ned Stark and his last remaining man get surrounded by the guards, and Jamie advancing towards them Talion makes his move.

Leaping off the building with Urfael drawn, Talion is ready for battle.

Ned Stark, Jamie, Jory, and the Lannister guards look up to see a man who was dress like a Northerner, but for some reason had the battle fury aura of a Dothraki Screamer, jumping off the roof of the brothel straight toward Jamie with a sword that shined so bright drawn in his hand.

As he hit the ground, he brought his sword up and swings it down at Jamie. Jamie barely has time to register the man in front of him before he brings his sword up to block. Catching the blow and feeling his arms go numb from the strength behind it; Jamie pushes the man off and does a swing toward his gut. The man parries the blow with just one arm, and uses his other to deliver a hard punch to Jamie's jaw, making him stumble backward.

The whole street that have been watching the fight up still now goes silence in sheer shock that the "Kingslayer" who considered one of the best swordsman in the Seven Kingdoms just bested by a unknown stranger.

Five Lannister guards break out of their trance and charge Talion, spears at the ready. Talion turns to parry the first spear thrust at while drawing Archarn, stab the wielder in the belly, and letting him fall to the ground. Two of the guards charge Talion at the same time. Thinking quickly he throws Archarn at the closest one, catching him in the leg, forcing him to drop his weapon to grab his leg in pain. Talion dodges the spear of the second one and drives Urfael into his left eye, before pulling out, and before the body even hits the ground takes the head off the one who was still holding his leg. The other two decide to stick close to one another to gain the advantage over Talion. Talion pulls Archarn out of the corpse and run toward them. The guards hesitate for a second upon seeing Talion run at them, but that all he needed. Vaulting over the one on the left he spins around in mid-air, and brings Archarn straight down into his shoulder. He twists the blade a little before pulling it out and stabbing it into the back of the screaming man skull. Spinning downward to dodge the spear thrust from the other guards, he slices his gut open in while in mid-spin.

Ned and Jory both stare in disbelief at this stranger who has come to their aid, effortlessly not only best Jamie Lannister in a bout, but kill five Lannister soldiers with minimum effort.

Three more guards move toward Talion this time dropping their spears and drawing their swords, as they move toward him.

Talion moves swiftly to catch them off-foot, he sidestep around the first guard and goes for the second one who raises his blade to strike at Talion's head. Using Archarn to block the hit, he thrusts Urfael into the man neck. Letting Urfael go to duck, a swipe from behind barely misses his head. He turns around and once again throws Archarn at his foe. This time it catches the man in his arm, while he was temporarily distract by the move, Talion turns around and pulls Urfael out of the dead man neck and bring it up to block a shot to his head from the third guard. Pushing the man off him he brings Urfael down on top of the man skull, only to have it block by the guard.

"Well, well, a guard who knows a thing or two" Talion thinks, before kicking the man knee out and bringing him to the ground. Twirling Urfael around in the air, Talion brings the sword down thru the man chest. He then turns around to see the wounded guard trying to pull Archarn out of his arm. Talion run toward the man, and before he can react is stab thru the guts with Urfael all the way to the hilt. Talion pulls Archarn out as the man slump to the ground.

The remaining twelve guards are starting to lose their nerve as their numbers are dwindling down from one man. Ned and Jory see this and seize the moment to even the odds better. Moving swiftly, Ned catches one guard with a swipe across the neck from Ice, sending the man to the ground as he futilely holds his neck to stem the blood gushing out. Jory battles with two guards off to the side as he grabs the spear of one and stabs the other thru the gut before turning the blade on the one he had preoccupied.

Jamie stares in disbelief upon seeing his guards get cut down like sheep. The tide of the fight is turning against him, and it all stared the moment that strange man showed up. Finally recovering himself he turns to join in on the fray, once again crossing blade with Talion.

Talion turns around in time to catch the blade with Urfael and comes face-to-face with Jamie.

"This isn't your fight stranger. You should have never got involve, now you're going to pay. And a Lannister always repaid his debts", Jamie says.

"I only got involve because you attack four men with twenty of your own, and you threaten a man's family. My honor won't let me stand aside and do nothing after that", Talion replied.

"Ha, you and Stark would make great friends! Too bad you won't live long enough to get to that".

Talion simply replies with another punch to Jamie face, he swipes at him with Archarn but Jamie barely able to move out the way in time as he falls back, literally.

As Jamie stumbles backward once again, five guards break off from fighting Ned and Jory and move to protect Jamie.

Talion able to catch the first one in the chest with Urfael, before he forced to parry a thrust from a sword with Archarn. He then vault over the man throwing Archarn while in mid-air into another guard chest. As he lands on the ground he simply thrust Urfael backwards catching the man he just vaulted over in the back. The last two move toward him swords raise. Talion parries two strikes from each of them before catching one of them across the eyes with his sword and sending him screaming to the ground. The other is too busy watching his comrade in pain to see Talion bring Urfael down on his skull. Before his body even starts to crumbles, Talion in an act of mercy stabs his sword thru the gut of the screaming man.

Talion turns around in time to see both Ned and the other man finish off the last of the guards. He then turns around to face Jamie who has gotten into a defensive stance. Suddenly Talion is flanked on both sides by Ned and Jory.

"You have my thanks, stranger. Might I know the name of the man who has come to our aid?" Ned asks.

"Talion of Gordor", Talion answers. Ned arches an eyebrow.

"I have never heard of that place but no matter, you have my thanks regardless, Talion", Ned said.

"And my as well", Jory said on the side.

"The time for thanks will have to wait, we still have one more coward to deal with", Talion said as all three of them advance on Jamie Lannister.


	2. The Red Keep

 

 

Chapter 2

The Red Keep

As the three continue to advance on Jamie Lannister, he decides it best to use their so-called honor against them.

"Is this how Men of the North fight their enemies, by gaining up on them three to one?!", he yelled making sure to get everyone attention. The crowd look on and starts muttering to themselves.

Ned notices this and said "This is bad if Jamie get the people on his side, this whole incident can be twisted around to be where we're at fault".

"What should we do my Lord?", Jory asks while Talion look on.

Jamie sensing an opportunity to escape, jumps on his horse that he rode in on, and takes off galloping away but not before Talion is able to land a slash on his arm as he rides by him.

"We'll see each other again Stark!", Jamie calls out, "And you as well stranger. A Lannister always repaid his debts!".

"Leave him be for now", Ned says, "I'm more worried about how his sister will react when she hear of what happen here, no doubt word is already spreading to the Red Keep".

"You'll think she'll do something to Lady Sansa and Lady Ayra, my Lord?", Jory asks.

"I wouldn't put it past her, she already shown us her petty side while traveling down the Kingsroad", Ned answers, "Quickly to the Red Keep".

Both Jory and Ned mount their horses while Talion stands there.

"Talion, you most likely saved both our lives this today, and I fear more trouble awaits us, if you could accompany us to the Red Keep, I would be more at ease", Ned says, "You can use one of the horses that my other guards were using, unfortunately, neither one of them will be needing it anymore".

"And what of their bodies then?", Talion asked.

"Hopefully if I'm able to I'll send some of my men to collect them so they may have a proper burial, but for now we must get to the Red Keep", Ned answers.

Talion grabs one of the horse and mounts it and takes off with other.

" _You are getting involved in affairs that you best stay out of Ranger_ ", Celebrimbor says.

"Wouldn't be the first time", Talion answers.

" _True, but this is a fight where it not just swords that are uses to killed your opponent, and your enemies are not always in front of you_ ", Celebrimbor says.

As the trio race through the city's street Talion couldn't help but notice the difference between this city and Minas Tirith, how Gondor's capital buildings were white and clean, while here they were dusty and brown.

"We are definitively not in Middle-Earth right now," Talion thought as they sped toward the large castle toward the East.

**The Red Keep**

As they pull into the courtyard of the Red Keep Ned was already giving orders to Jory.

"Get Sansa and Arya to their rooms immediately and I want every available guard to be guarding them until I say otherwise", he said.

"Yes my Lord, but what about you?", Jory asks. Ned looks toward Talion.

"If Talion would be so kind to follow me to the Throne Room, I would have words with the King", he says.

"I'm not doing anything else at the moment", Talion replies.

"Look like you will be here shortly", Jory says as he points to the castle keep. Both Ned and Talion turn their heads to see a sight that they hope would not come to past, but it wasn't unexpected.

Accompany by a least forty Lannister guards, with herself in the middle of them flank by two Kingsguardmen, was the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms Cersei Lannister Baratheon with a look of murderous fury on her face. Her guards proceed to form a large circle around the trio, as she herself walk straight up to them, stopping some ten feet away from them with Sir Meryn Trant and Sir Boros Blount at her side, with an air of superiority surrounding her.

"You attack my dear brother in the streets outside a brothel, yet you still dare to waltz into the castle like you done nothing wrong. Your brave Stark, I'll give you that,", Cersei says.

"It was your brother who started the fight, My Queen", Jory said.

"No one was addressing you, vermin", she says without evening looking at him.

"How does she know all this so quickly?", Talion whispers to Ned.

"No doubt Varys inform her of what happen", Ned answers.

"Varys?".

"The King's spymaster".

"So tell me, Stark," Cersei starts to say, that bring Talion and Ned attention back to her, "Why did you attack Jamie, and what were you doing outside a brothel?".

Ned hesitates to answer, he couldn't let Cersei know the real reason he was there, not now.

Talion picks up on Ned hesitation and decided to step in to draw attention away from him.

"It was not Lord Stark who attacked your brother, your Majesty", Talion said, "It was I who attack and bested your brother in single combat".

The guards around them start to whisper amongst themselves…

"He bested the Kingslayer?".

"He supposes to be considered one of the best swordsman in the Seven Kingdoms".

Cersei, not wanting her brother reputation being sully any more than it already was quickly silenced them with a stern glare. She turns back to Talion afterward.

"I find it hard to believe that my brother could be bested by a peasant like you," she says with a smirk on her face.

"You can ask him yourself as soon as he done being afraid of me and comes back here", Talion smirks back.

Cersei face quickly goes back to it original murderous look as she snaps her fingers and two guards move toward Talion, spears at the ready.

Talion draws Urfael and he ready to fight when suddenly a loud voice boom over the courtyard.

"STAND DOWN IN THE NAME OF YOUR KING!", King Robert Baratheon yells.

The two guards immediately stop what there doing as everyone turns to see a Robert, accompany by the other four Kingsguardmen and Varys moving toward them.

"Stand down, all of ya", as he walks right pass Talion and straight to Ned.

"You and me need to have a little talk, Ned. Oh do we ever need to talk,", Robert says. All Ned can do at this point in nod his head. Robert turns to everyone else.

"The rest of you lot back to your post", he says. The guards salute and then leave the courtyard while Cersei stands there with an annoyed look on her face.

"Ned Stark attacks my brother, let you still let him walk away with no punishment whatsoever", Cersei says.

"Do not start with me woman, not in the mood", Robert says.

"At least now we know who your favorite", Cersei says as she walks away.

Robert makes an annoyed sigh as he walks up to Talion. Looking him over for a moment he says…

"So you're the one who bested the Kingslayer in combat and killed thirteenth guards on your own without taking a single hit?".

"I am", Talion simply replies. He notices that the guards nearby are paying special attention to what the King is saying.

"You're a lot smaller than I figure you be", Robert says as he looks over to Varys, "You're sure he the guy?".

"Your Royal Highness, my little birds assure me that he the one who bested Jamie Lannister not once, but twice, and made him run away as he was getting ready to go a third time", Varys says.

"HA!", Robert barks, "Wish I could have been there to see him running away with his tail between his legs, would have been worth the headache I going to received from his sister later on".

Ned turns to Jory, "Send some men to collect the bodies of the guards at the brothel, everyone else I want guarding Sansa and Arya, I'll be there shortly".

"Yes my lord", Jory says as he moves to carried out the order.

"Ned, be at my chamber within the hour, we have much to discuss", Robert tells Ned.

"And Talion?", Ned asks.

"Any man who can beat the Kingslayer, and humiliate the Lannisters is a friend of mine, he can stay here as long as he likes as an honored guest. That oughta piss off the Lannisters ", Robert says.

"Make yourself at home Talion", Ned tells him, "But be on guard for despite what the King says Cersei will not let this slight go, and the guards will not be pleased with the slaying of their comrades".

"I'll be on guard at all times with my weapons at the ready", Talion tells him.

"Then I'll leave you to it", Ned tells him as he takes off to find his daughters, leaving Talion standing there by himself in the courtyard.

" _Huh, been in the city for not even a half a day and I already found us a place to stay_ ", Talion thinks.

" _Now if only you could find us a way back to Middle-Earth, then I would be impressed_ ", Celebrimbor said.

"Give me time,", Talion said, "Well might as well see what around here".

Talion takes off walking around the castle taking in the sights. Along the way, he notices how the palace guard was made up of mostly the same type of Lannister's troop he fought out in the city.

"They don't even have special guards here at the castle, must be hard on Ned and his family", he thinks to himself.

He has been walking for almost an hour when suddenly Talion feels a strange energy as he walking thru a hallway in the Main Keep. When he looks to see where the source came from he see a set of stairs leading down possibly to some cellars. As he approaches the door, he hear footsteps racing up the stairs. Taking Ned's words to heart about the possible retaliation he draws Acharn and prepare for whatever coming up.

Just as the figure appears outside the door Talion grabs them and put the blade upon their neck. The figure let out a high pitch scream and starts to struggle.

"Let me go!" "Let me go!" the figure yelled in a feminine voice.

Within moments Talion realizes he has his blade against the neck of a little girl. He releases her without a second thought. He was expecting her to scream for the guards or yell at him.

What he was not expecting was her to draw a short, thin sword and make a thrust at him. The strike was sloppy, slow, and not even straight. He caught it easily with one hand and held it even easier.

The girl struggles to pull the sword from his grip and even went as far as kicking Talion to make him let it go.

"Give it back!" "Let it go", she screamed. Finally fed up with these antics, Talion lets the blade go and watch her fall on her ass, a the while putting away Acharn.

"Ouch", she said as she stand up.

"You about done?", Talion asks her.

The girl only glares at him.

"That a fancy-looking sword you got there," Talion says, "Now why is a nice little girl like you carry around a sword like that?".

"None of your business", she says.

"Ouch, a little rude aren't we. Well, if it was my business I would tell you that you need to work on your sword thrust a little bit more", Talion says.

Talion watches as the girl's cheek go red from embarrassment and anger.

"I am practicing", he hears her mutter.

"Okay moving on. Now why don't you tell me why you were running up the stairs so fast", he asks.

The girl fast adopts a frighten look as she starts to panic.

"That's right!" "I have to find father!" "I have to tell him!", she says as she tries to run past him, only to be caught by her arm by him.

"Calm down child", he tells her.

"There no time, I have to tell my father", she yells as she once again struggles against him. During this time Talion able to get a better look at her. He realizes that she resemblance Ned Stark.

"This must be one of his daughters he was talking about", Talion thinks.

"You're Ned Stark's daughter, ain't you?", he asks.

The girl suddenly stops moving and give Talion a hesitates look that all but confirms the question.

"Your father and Jory are looking for you, there been an incident", Talion tells her.

"Why?", "What happen", "Is my father alright", the girl asks as panic fills her voice.

"They're both fine, but you need to get to your room now. Come I escort you there", Talion tells her.

They both start to move thru the hallway, and across the Godswood when suddenly Celebrimbor speaks.

" _Be on guard Ranger, I sense that we are not alone_ ".

Talion stops and looks around. Not seeing anyone he activating his Wraith Sight. He able to make out twelve figures hiding amongst the trees in front of them. He deactivates Wraith Sight just as the girl looks up at him wondering why they stop.

"Stark Girl", he says.

"Arya", she corrects him.

"Arya, listen carefully", he says in a low voice, "I want you to start running back thru the entrance, and don't stop until you find either another of your father's guard, Jory or your father himself, understand?".

"What going on?", Arya asks.

"Do you understand?" he asks again this time with a little more force behind it.

Suddenly the figures start coming out of the trees. Lannister's troops with their swords drawn. Arya starts to panicked.

"Go, now!", Talion screams as Arya takes off running in the opposite direction. She gets to the edge of the Godswood before her curiously gets the best of her, and she turns around and hides behind a tree to see what going to happen.

Talion draws Urfael and prepares himself.

Across the way on a balcony overlooking the Godswood King Robert and Sir Selmy are walking thru the hallway discussing recent events.

"Damn it all", Robert said, "I got Ned and Jamie fighting each other in broad daylight in the middle of the city, I got the Targaryen whore getting ready to invade from across the Narrow Sea, and now I got a piss-off Cersei to deal with. How could this day possibly get any worse?!".

Sir Selmy see a flash from across the way and turns to see twelve Lannister troops prepare to find the man Ned Stark brought with him to the castle.

"Your Majesty, look" as he points.

"What is it?", Robert asks as he look over. A smirk graces his face.

"A Lannister always pays his debts, I guess that extends to their soldiers too", he says.

"I'll shall go break up immediately my king", Selmy said.

"Now hold on there", Robert says as he holds a hand up, "I want to see the swordplay of the man who bested the Kingslayer, let us see how he does".

Back in the Godswood, Talion faces the dozen guards

"I'll give you one chance to walk", He says, "Don't be a fool and waste it".

"You're going to pay for killing our buddies, and then we'll just dump your body into the ocean where no one can find it", one of the guards say as he charges Talion.

"Fool, you had your chance", as Talion sidestep the swing and slash the man across the belly. As the man tries to hold his guts in, Talion brings his sword down on top of his neck and behead him in one swift motion.

Not giving the other guards a chance to recover from the shock of seeing their buddy decapitates, Talion charges the nearest guards. Drawing Acharn he shoved it into the face of one guard while using Urfael to stabs another one thru the chest. Pulling Acharn out he hurls into the leg of a nearby guard. As the guard grabs his leg in pain, Talion parry a blow from another guard who finally regain his senses. As he parry the guard's sword away, he spins around behind him and shoves Urfael thru his skull. He pulls Urfael out in time to block a downward strike from behind him and kicks the man in the balls bringing him to his knees. Talion rolls over the man and slices the legs out from underneath another guard before slicing the same man head off before he even hits the ground. Turning around he shoves his sword thru the back of the man still on his knees.

As the man with Acharn lounge in his legs attempts to pull the dagger out he sees a flash of light shine for a second. As he looks up he see Talion slashing at his head. It the last sight he sees before the upper half of his head goes flying thru the air.

The remaining five guards decide to all charge at once in hope one of them can land a killing blow on Talion.

Talion sidesteps the first one and kicks his legs up from underneath him sending him flying upwards. In one swift motion, the cuts the man head off while he still in mid-air, then turns around to swings upward to catch another man head who was in the process of swinging downward at Talion. The two body-less heads rolls on the ground toward the remain three guards. One guard quickly loses his nerve as he takes off running away from the scene. Talion, spotting the corpse of the one who had Acharn stuck in his legs, quickly grabs the dagger, takes aim and hurls it at the fleeing guard. Acharn sails past the other two and embeds itself in the back of fleeing guard's skull. The other guards stare in disbelief at what just happens, which proves to be the last mistake their ever make. Cause one guard suddenly feels his legs leaving the ground, then a sword driving thru his chest and sending him straight back down to earth. The last guard barely has time to react before Urfael drives thru his guts, and the last words he hears are….

"You had your chance" "I gave you fair warning, and you refuse to take it. Now suffer," as Talion drive Urfael deeper into his gut, before finally pulling out.

The Godswood is litter with the bodies of a dozen Lannister troops, and one man standing with blood dripping off his sword. Across the way, a king and his personal guard stand with shock looks on their faces and jaws drop.

But that was nothing compare to the look on the face of the youngest Stark girl who couldn't believe her eyes.

" _I must learn the sword from this man, no matter what_ ", she thinks to herself, " _No matter what its take he will teach me"._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will not be a Arya x Talion, before you even ask.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A Friendly Chat

Ned Stark in sitting at the table in the King Robert's chambers patiently awaiting his old friend. On the outside he cool, calm, and collected, on the inside though he was complete mess wondering why Robert was so livid on wanting to meet him.

" _What is taking him so long to get here?",_ Ned asks himself, " _But then again, he already been late for anything that didn't have to do with swinging a hammer."._

Suddenly the door swings open and in comes walking in Robert with Sir Selmy beside him. Robert nod towards Ned and then turns to Selmy.

"Stand guard outside. We're not to be disturbed and keep a sharp look out for wandering eyes and ears", he tells him.

Sir Selmy nods and proceed to stand watch outside.

Robert walks over to his chair at the table and pours himself a large cup of wine. He motion a gesture to offer Ned some, but he turns it down. Robert simply shrugs and indulges in one of his three favorite hobbies.

Finally after drinking the entire cup, Robert looks toward Ned, and takes a deep breath.

"Ned, why were you at one of Little finger's Brothel?", he ask.

" _Straight to the point as always",_ Ned thinks to himself.

"I had business to handle", Ned simply says. Robert lift an eyebrow at this.

"Alright, I'll leave it at that", Robert says. It Ned turn to lift an eyebrow now.

" That it? Just like that?", Ned ask clearly expecting Robert to want a better answer then that.

"Ned, I'm the last person who needs to ask why you're going to a whorehouse, don't you think?", Robert replies back. Ned thinks on this for a moment and decides he right.

"Anyway Ned that not why I ask you come, there two reasons why", Robert said as he took on a more serious look. Now this really caught Ned attention, for it was rare for him to see Robert do that.

"Ned, this whole day been a mess. First with you quitting being the Hand, to fighting the Kingslayer outside a brothel, and the fact I basically pardon you in of everyone, including Cersei", Robert said.

"I was **attack** outside the brothel by Jamie Lannister and his guards. He killed two of my men, good men, and was prepared to kill Jory and possibly me", Ned retorted.

"Yes, and let count how many guards you three killed", Robert said, "Twenty was the count if I recall. Twenty **Lannisters** guards, twelve of those kills belong to your new friend Talion, Ned".

"If you didn't like the fact that he killed those guards, then why didn't you arrest him earlier?", Ned asked.

"Because I think I could use a man like him around here Ned. More importantly, I think you could use a man like him around here," Robert answered.

"What are you getting at Robert?".

"Think about it Ned.", Robert said, "Not long after you quit being the Hand, you get into a fight with the Kingslayer, the Queen's brother, and your wife has kidnap the other one. What do you think that tell the other Houses, more importantly The Lannisters, and even more important than that Tywin Lannister?"

Ned sees where this is going and doesn't respond to the question.

"The former Hand of the King and his wife, attacks and kidnaps the Queen's brothers. That basically you declaring war on the Royal Family, which in case you forgotten, I'm the head of, me being the king and all.", Robert says.

"Do you know the reason behind my wife taking the Imp captive?", Ned asks.

"I don't really, do you?", Robert asks.

"She believe that he may have had something to do with an assassin that almost killed Bran and wounded her.", Ned said.

The room is quiet for a moment as the King is in deep thought about this new information.

"Was it after we left?", Robert ask. Ned nods.

"Where do you think your wife is taking him?"

"The road to Winterfell can be long and hard, so she'll most likely take him to the Eyrie, which is closer".

"To her sister?". Robert ask.

"Yes".

Robert sighs deeply before continuing.

"I'm sending a raven to the Eyrie, demanding the release of the Imp", Robert says.

"Robert that outrageous, why would-", Ned begins.

"I'm not finish!". Robert yells, "He will be brought to King's Landing, and he will stand a fair trial here. If we're going to do this, then we're going to do this within the laws dammit".

"And you expect the Lannisters to just let that happen?"

"What would you have me do Ned?! Just let your wife get away with kidnapping, because she has a feeling?! What sort of message will that send?!", Robert yelled while standing up now his patience finally at his end.

"My son may be paralyze for life!" Ned yell while also standing up and getting in Robert's face across the table, "You do understand that he may never walk again, right?! If the Imp had something to do with that and the assassin that was send to silence him, I will see him hang!".

"Eddard Stark! You do realize by punishing the Imp without at least a fair trial, your wife will no doubt start a war between The North, The Westerlands, The Riverlands and possibly The Vale?!", Robert bellowed, "That half the realm at war over a dwarf, a dwarf of all things!"

"Am I suppose to just roll over and let the Lannister do as they please?!"

"You will if I command you to, **Warden of The North**!" Robert screamed, "What you and your wife are doing is borderline treason to the crown! And let not forget that your daughter did attack my son, to everyone it looks like you Starks are looking for a fight!"

"Then why pardon me Robert?! Why not have me arrested?!" Ned ask still seething with anger.

"It the same reason I told you in Winterfell, Ned! You're the only loyal friend I got left in this Seven forsaken, Your Old Gods damn kingdom, and I'll be damn if I'm going to lose you to those golden Lannisters cunts!"

The room is silence as Ned let the words sink in. Finally both him and Robert sit down for a moment. In a move that surprises even Robert, Ned grab the pitcher, pours himself a full cup, and gulps it down in a few seconds.

Robert stares at Ned for a few moments, before busting out laughing which after awhile Ned joins in as well. Soon both men, who have been friends since boyhood, are enjoying a rare moment of happiness together. Finally after the laughter shimmers down Robert speaks.

"I need you as my Hand, Ned. There no one else I can trust", Robert says.

Ned thinks for a moment before reluctantly accepting the position back.

"Alright Robert, I'll take back the position, but only if you can promise me that we do something about the Imp."

"I promise you Ned, we'll get to the bottom of that matter, but first there are some more issues that are close to home that we have to deal with first."

"And those are?", Ned ask. Robert takes a deep breath and exhale before speaking.

"Alright Ned, I'll be honest with ya, things look bad for you and your family with everything that's going on, but there may be a way for you to prove to everyone that your still loyal to the crown."

"How that Robert?"

Robert sighs before speaking, "You know that whole selling slaves business you dealt with years ago, with Jorah Mormont?"

Ned remembers the cowardly bastard all right, how she sold free men to slave traders then fled to Essos upon being discover.

"I do", Ned says.

"The old man before he die discover thru his contacts that there may possibly be a slave ring right here in King's Landing."

Ned was shocked at this bit of news. Slave trade right here in the capital. He knew that this place was a den of filth, rats and scumbags, but he never expected slavers. It been outlaw for thousands of years.

"What made Jon think that?"

"People were going missing."

"It's King's Landing, people go missing all the time, Robert."

"Not like this Ned, when people go missing eventually their corpse turns up in an alley, on the shore, or even on the Sept doorsteps, but these people just disappear without a trace and the numbers of these cases just keep adding up."

"How could did have been allow to happen, Robert?", Ned asked.

"Jon believe it they must have been allow to set up during the Mad King reign, cause he found evidence that points toward the crown getting a cut of the profits", Robert says.

"To think his madness sunk to even that level", Ned said.

"This is bad Ned, it only a matter of time before word of this gets out and people start thinking I'm the cause of it, or I'm too weak to stop it."

"Have you done anything to stop them? Have you send the goldcloaks to arrest them?", Ned asks.

"Four times", Robert says, "Four times in the last year Jon and I have send the goldcloaks to break them up and four times all they turn up is nothing. I don't know if it's a spy within the guards' ranks or maybe it's just the sight of a group of guards moving thru the streets that tips them off, but I'm running out of patience and time Ned."

"If the people see me as weak and useless, either one of the other Houses will rise up, or worse that Targaryen whore comes across the sea with an army of Dothraki Screamers at her back and the people will start to think their better off with her", Robert tells Ned.

"And what do you want me to do?", Ned ask.

"Not you Ned, that Talion friend of yours", Robert said.

Ned looks confuse for a moment, before realization dawns on him.

"You want me to send a man I just met this morning, whom while I'm grateful for him saving my life, I know almost nothing about to take down a slave ring?"

"Ned, he killed a dozen guards at the brothel, bested the Kingslayer, and I just witness him a little while ago slay another dozen guards by himself."

"What?!", Ned screamed, "When did this happen?!" "Why was I not told?!"

"It was self-defense Ned don't worry too much about it", Robert says as he waves a hand at him.

"Anyway", Roberts says, "He a one-man army Ned. You seen it, I seen it. That something that I need to bring this slave trade down."

"What you're asking for is madness, Robert. One man can't possible take a whole slave ring out on his own."

"At best they probably have less than a dozen sellswords guarding the place, he'll be fine. And if he does this and he affiliate with you Ned, I can spin it around that this was all your doing and you prove your loyalty to the crown and the people of King's Landing will love you."

Ned remains silence for a moment.

"They won't expect a single man. But, if you're all that worry about it then send one or two more of your men with him."

Before Ned could answer Sir Selmy comes bursting to the room with a slightly panic look on his face.

"Your Grace, Lord Stark, there trouble out in front of The Tower of the Hand! It the Queen again, your Majesty!"

Robert and Ned both look at one another before getting up and rushing out the room with Sir Selmy right behind them.

"Damn her! Damn that woman and her entire cunt of a family!", Robert roared as the trio rush toward the Tower.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**The Tower**

" _I'm starting to believe that you have this aura around you that just attracts people who want to kill you Ranger",_ Celebrimbor said.

" _You know for once you may be right",_ Talion thinks as his mind goes back to the task at hand.

Said task being how to deal with the hundred guards, including crossbowmen that have surround him, Arya, Jory and the rest of the Stark's House Guards at the tower that he was taking Arya to. Both Arya and Talion were a good fifthteen yards away from the tower and the guards were closing in.

Arya was behind him as he had both Urfael and Acharn drawn and ready to use. Their backs were to the tower where Jory and the other guards along with a tall girl with red hair who he assume was Sansa were all standing pass the door with their own weapons drawn and shields up.

Among the swarm of guards stood two men dress in golden armor and in between the two of them was the same woman who almost cause Talion to spill more blood this morning, Queen Cersei.

She calls out to him from behind the Kingsguard men, "So you're not merely content with wrongfully attacking my brother, but also you strike down a dozen guards who were just doing their duties."

Talion lifts an eyebrow at this remark but still kept his eyes on all the guards around him, especially the crossbowmen up on the castle's ramparts. Their bows were down for the moment but were loaded and could be raised in a blink of an eye and fire with deadly accurate. Talion will admit though it seems like they wouldn't pack the same punch that the orcs' crossbow had. But still they're the only reason why Talion didn't take Arya and make a run for the tower, he couldn't risk her getting hit. Unfortunately it seem that he running out of options here.

"Your Highness it seems that I'm unfamiliar with your customs here. For where I come from a guard's duty doesn't include attack a man and a child especially if it was unprovoked", Talion answers back.

"I'm not a child", Arya complain.

Talion didn't even spare her a glance as he said, "You are a child and if you want to live to be an adult then keep quiet and do exactly as I say."

Arya shut up at this, and just simply nods her head.

"Enough of your senseless ramble. Sir Meryn kill him and bring the girl to me", Cersei says.

Talion can see a sickening look in Sir Meryn's eyes and a sinister smirk on his lips even under his helmet as he looks at Arya and says "With pleasure your Highness", and he moves toward Talion with his sword up.

"Arya", Talion whispers out.

"Yeah" she answers back.

"Get Jory's attention if you can, but don't take any sudden steps toward him."

Arya decides not to question this and looks behind and waves her arms to get Jory's attention.

It take a second to get it but she does, all the while the guards and Sir Meryn move ever closer with their spears and swords drawn.

"Okay he paying attention", she tells Talion.

"Good now when I say go you make a run for as fast as you can, okay?"

"You sure?", Arya ask.

"Trust me, you do not want to be taken by this Meryn guy."

Talion briefly takes his eyes off them to signal to Jory who see it and nod his head when suddenly…

One of the guards makes a lunge at Talion with his spear while another makes a grab for Arya.

Talion parries the spear with Urfael while shoving Acharn into his throat. Then he pulls Acharn out and is prepare to throw it at the guard going for Arya when he suddenly a scream of pain echoes throughout the courtyard. He turns his head to see that Arya has drawn her thin blade and shove it thru the guard's hand.

" _She fierce. She remind of Lithariel in a way, thought her sword thrust still needs work",_ Talion thought.

" _Can you save the criticism and reminiscing for another time Ranger?!",_ Celebrimbor screamed.

"Arrgh! You little bitch! I get yo-", is all the guard whose hand was skewered had time to say before a sword impale itself into his neck. Standing there with shield and red sword in hand was Jory ready for a fight.

"Arya go!", Talion yells

And Arya makes a mad dash toward the tower as the crossbowmen take aim and fire.

Three bolts sail toward Talion and Arya. While Talion is able to dodge the two aimed at him there was still one going toward Arya and about to hit her till Jory intercept it with his shield.

"This way Lady Arya!", Jory yells as he and Arya contiune to move toward the tower with Jory keeping his shield up over Arya while bolts rain all around them, but they make it to the Tower's doors without injury.

"Close the doors!", Talion screams.

"What about you?!", Jory yells back.

"Your duty is to protect your Lord's children! Follow that duty and worry about me later!"

With reluctant Jory orders the door shut and barricaded.

"Get Sansa and Arya somewhere safe away from the windows!", Jory orders to some fellow Hand's guards. Then he turns to others.

"Moves some furniture to block all the entrances, and get some archers up top to deal with those crossbowmen on the ramparts! Move it!" He yells as the guards salute and move to carrying out his orders.

"Do you think he'll be okay out there alone Jory?", Arya asked the fear evident in her voice.

"I don't know", Jory started to say as he looks toward the door, "I seem him take on a dozen men without breaking a sweat this very morning, but I don't know about that out there. There must have been a least a hundred guards out there, plus the Kingsguard and the crossbowmen too."

Jory looks toward Arya to see her face becoming wrack with fear and worry. He quickly puts his hand her on head and shakes her hair a little.

"But don't worry. Like I said he didn't even break a sweat this morning, if we can give him a hand with the archers he may hold out long enough until your father or the king get here."

"You really mean it?", Arya asks.

"He a clever guy I'm sure he'll think of something and be fine, now let get you somewhere safe", Jory says trying to reassure her and motion her up the stairs.

Meanwhile outside the tower…

" _You should have went into the tower Ranger_ ," Celebrimbor said dryly.

" _What? And miss out on all this fun?",_ Talion replies while spinning to dodge a spear thrust aim at his gut. With his back to the guard he grabs the spear only to see another guard coming at him with his sword raise.

Stabbing Urfael behind his back he feels the spear come loose form its former owner's hands and thrusts it into the charging guard gut. As the guard falls down Talion takes off vaulting over the guard next to him only to come face to face with Sir Meryn who was bringing his blade down onto Talion.

Talion brings Urfael up and easily blocks the attack as he kick Sir Meryn in the stomach sending him stumbling back.

"Useless idiots! Someone bring me his head!", Queen Cersei yells from behind the horde of guards.

Two Lannisters swordsmen step forward from behind Sir Meryn and charge Talion. As he redraws Acharn he moves to the left to dodge the sword thrust at his chest while using Urfael to parry the other sword strike. He shoves Acharn into the chest of the guard he just dodge before pushing up the parry from the second one and stabbing the elfish dagger into his chin.

" _Ranger! Bolts coming from your left",_ Celebrimbor yells, as Talion quickly rolls to his right to barely dodge a barrage of crossbow bolts. As he stands back up and re-sheathe Acharn a Lannister spear-man comes running at him and Talion moves just in time to avoid a thrust to his chest as he lets the man run pass him before grabbing him and moving him to Talion's left. Just as another wave of crossbow bolts are fired at him.

Luckily the guard prove to be an excellent shield from the attack.

" _I need to do something about archers",_ Talion thinks to himself as he drops the guard's corspe to see the crossbowmen preparing to fire another volley at him.

"Make ready!", the head archer yells, "Take aim!", as they bring their bows up, "Fir-" is all he able to get out before an arrow hit him in the eye and he slump down dead. Talion turns to look in the direction the arrow came from to see Jory standing at the top of the tower with a bow in hand and in the process of preparing another arrow to fire alongside a dozen more guards.

" _Well that takes care of that problem, but they're still too many guards here and more probably on the way. I need to even the odds",_ Talion thought as he use searches the courtyard looking for anything that would give him an advantage. His eyes fall upon the Castle's stable.

" _There something",_ as he briefly activates his wraith's vision and see that there must be at least fifty horses in the stable.

" _Perfect. Now all I have to do is get there."_

" _A task that easier said then done, Ranger",_ Celebrimbor chimes in.

" _I'm always up for a little challenge,"_ Talion replies.

Talion takes off vaulting over guards, tumbling pass swords swipe and dodging spears thrust as he moves closer to the stable. Talion spares a glance to see that Jory and the other Stark guards are keeping the Lannisters' archers too busy for them to focus on Talion.

"Almost there", Talion says just before two Lannister guards, one with a sword and one with a spear, move in front of him to block his path. Talion draws Acharn back out as he runs at full speed towards them. They both thrust at the same time toward Talion's head just as he falls to his knees and slides along the ground slashing both of them across their waists as he passes by them. The mithril-forge blades easily slices thru their armor and leave both men struggling to keep their insides from falling out on the ground.

Getting up and using his elven swiftness Talion takes off towards the stable. Thanks to his supernatural speed, he able to put some distance in between him and guards swarming toward his location.

" _I got to make this quick if this is to work",_ Talion thinks as he enter the stables. He see that all the horses are tie up in their individual stables with the ropes in the front.

Talion steady his breathing and focuses on his surrounding as time slows down all around him. He then takes off running toward the back of the stable throwing wraith's daggers from both his hands at the ropes and cutting them as he ran by.

He finally gets to the back and turns around to see the guards were almost to the stable forming one large body as they move. But he also notices that all the ropes were cut.

" _Time for the finale, you're up Celebrimbor",_ Talion thinks.

" _To think that I'm reduce to this. How the mighty have fallen",_ Celebrimbor replies as the wraith takes over and projects itself and yells…

"FLEE FROM THIS PLACE FOUL BEASTS OR SUFFER MY WRATH!" as the elf surges his magic throughout the stable.

Even if the horses couldn't see Celebrimbor that certainly could sense his presence as they all started to panic and flee in the only direction they could escape to, the way that Talion came in.

"STAMPEDE!", a guard yells before he is trample underneath the hooves of half a hundred horses that plowed straight into the ranks of the guard unit that was approaching the stables.

"Your Majesty this way!", Sir Meryn says as he and the other Kingsguard man try to move Cersei out of the way before they were caught in the rush of horses. While they were able to get Cersei out of the way they themselves were knock aside by the passing horses and both landed on the ground unconscious.

Talion casually walks out of the stable to survey the carnage he had created. From what he could see half the guards were either dead or too wounded to stand while the other half were still trying to flee the stampede.

Then his eyes fell upon Cersei who was alone and unguarded as she is in shock over what just happen.

Talion moves toward her not caring that she the queen, only caring for the fact that she the one who started all this.

Cersei see him coming and tries her best to remain confident despite having nothing standing between her and the approaching swordsman.

"Stay where you are peasant! I am the Queen and you will not lay a hand on me!", she yells at Talion who only response is to draw Urfael and continue walking toward her.

"I will have your head for this! I'll have you drawn and quartered! I-", and her voice is caught in her throat and she is paralyze in fear as she swear she see Talion's eyes glowing.

He almost upon upon her when suddenly another Kingsguard man appears in front of him with his sword drawn prepare to face off with Talion. This catches Talion off-guard as his eyes return to normal.

Any other time Talion would've charge the man, confident in his abilities to best any opponent, man or orcs. But something about this man's stance stop him from advancing. The man had an aura around him that told Talion that this man has seen battle countless time before and has bested many a foe in the past.

" _This man may be my toughest challenge since I got here",_ Talion thinks as he raises Urfael.

Just as both men prepare to attack one another, a voice rings out throughout the courtyard once more.

"Stand down all of you, before I execute you all!", King Robert yells out.

Talion turns to see The King and Ned Stark running up to them.

"Talion of Gondor put down your sword", Ned commanded.

"Only when the man in front of me puts down his!", Talion replied, "And I'm promise that I'll will never be trouble by this woman again! Too much blood has been spilled today cause of her!", he says as he nods his head toward Cersei.

"Put that sword down and I promise that as long as I live the Queen will not ever bother you again. I give you my word.", King Robert promises. Hearing this shake Cersei out of her frighten trance.

"You would choose this man over me?!" she yells at him.

"Quiet woman! You're lucky Sir Selmy is fulfilling his oath to protect the Royal Family or else you'd already be dead!", Robert yells at her.

"Talion put down your sword and this can all end peacefully", Ned says.

Talion takes a glance around the courtyard and notices all the bodies laying about.

"Fine", he says as he sheathes his sword, "Enough blood has been shed today anyway."

Sir Selmy sheathes his sword as well, while Cersei just screams.

"Just like that?! You're going to let him get away with almost assaulting the Queen!"

"Sir Selmy, the Queen is tired from the events that have transpire today. See her to our chambers and keep her there until she is fully recover", Robert says in an emotionless voice.

"This way your Highness", as Sir Selmy motion Cersei along who gives one last look of angry defiance toward Talion and the King before moving along. Selmy also takes one last look at Talion before moving as well.

"You there!", Robert yells at a few random guards who were nearby, "Get the wounded some help and get those horses under control!"

The guards salute and leave to carry out his order.

"Ned see to your children and your men and come meet me later in my chamber after you inform Talion of my request. I going to have little chat with my lovely wife", Roberts says in a sarcasm voice.

"Yes Robert", as Ned motions Talion to follow him.

The two make it into the Tower just as Jory comes down to meet them.

"Where are Sansa and Arya?", Ned asks.

"Both of them are safe up in their rooms, my lord", Jory tells him. Ned looks towards Talion.

"Wait here", as he takes off up the stairs. As soon as he disappears from sight Jory turns to Talion.

"Nice trick out there with the horses", Jory says.

"It the only thing I could think of. Nice shooting out there by the way, you have my thanks", Talion replies.

"I needed the target practice anyway."

The two share a laugh and waited around for Ned to return.

After an hour Ned descends from the stairs.

"Arya told me what you both did. It seems I own you my thanks", Ned tells them.

"I was only doing my duty, my lord", Jory says while bowing.

"Your girl almost stabbed me", Talion simply said. Ned's eyes widen at this.

"She what?"

"She almost stabbed me, she needs some proper training if you're going to let her handle a sword", Talion says.

"Funny despite the fact that she already has a sword master training her, she insists that you train her", Ned replies.

"My style is borne of actual combat, not lessons taught by a master", Talion says, "It is too dangerous for her."

"At least give it some thought, will you?", Ned asked

"Very well, I will", Talion says, "Now what this about King Robert's request that he say earlier?"

Ned looks around to make sure they're alone in the room, then proceeded to tell Jory and Talion about the request.

"You want me to break up a slave trade ring in the city?"

"You don't have to if you don't want to. You already done more than enough for me so I won't force you to do it," Ned says.

"No it fine. At my old ranger post in Mordor I saw first-hand how hard life is for a slave", Talion said thinking back to how the orcs treated their human slaves. While he doubt the slaves here were treated worse, he believed that no one soon live a life like that. If he can stopped someone from being force into that life he will.

"When does he want me to do this?", Talion ask.

"As soon as possible most likely. I'm to bring you to see him", Ned answers.

"Am I to do this alone?"

"The King has the utmost confidence that you can handle this on your own, but he did say you can bring more people with you if you want."

"I volunteer, my lord", Jory says.

"I had a feeling you would, which is why I didn't send you away", Ned said, "We'll wait a bit longer before going to see the King. But until then I must ask Talion, what is this land of Mordor that you mention?"

"It was where my former ranger posting was at guarding the Black Gate for Gondor."

"Guarding them from what?" Jory asks.

"A foul darkness that once threaten to engulf Gondor and the lands beyond, a darkness that was thought to have been defeated long ago."

"And the land of Mordor itself?", Ned asks.

"A dark and vile place riddle with orcs, a foul race conjure from the darkness. Most of it is a barren wasteland fill with fire, ash, and dust. When I left there the very air was starting to become a poisonous fume making it dangerous to even breathe. And there are creatures there from your worst nightmares that never sleep, never tired, and never stop hunting."

The three men stand in silence in the room as Talion's words sink in.

"So what you're trying to say Talion is that," Ned starts to say, "One does not simply walk into Mordor."

Talion thinks for a moment on this before saying, "No, I guess one doesn't."

" _Unless you're me of course",_ he thinks in his head.

**OMAKE**

"So what you're trying to say Talion is that," Ned starts to say, "One does not simply walk into Mordor."

Talion and Jory both look at Ned with confuses looks on their faces.

"My Lord", Jory started to say, "Where did that come from?"

"Honestly I have no idea, I just felt the urge to say it for some reason", Ned replied.

"And why your hand up like that?", Talion asks.

Ned gives a confused shrug.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The Storm Is His Ally

It was around the evening time and the sun is getting ready to set within the hour. Thru the corridors of the Red Keep Ned, Talion, and Jory are making their way to King Robert's chambers.

"So basically the King wants me and Jory to kill or at least capture a few slavers, correct?", Talion asked.

"Well basically yes. I doubt two men walking by would arouse much suspicion from their look-outs", Ned answered.

"And how many men can we be expecting, my lord?", Jory questioned.

"King Robert's sources suggest less than a dozen men under arms", Ned replied, "Seeing how you handle yourself out in the courtyard I believe King Robert was right in trusting this mission to you."

As the three get closer to the King's chambers with Ser Selmy guarding the door raises voices could be heard coming from within the room.

"You will stop with all of your meddling this instant woman!"

"So you would take the side of a total stranger over your wife?! Ha! And you dare call yourself king!"

SLAP!

The familiar sound of a hand slapping across flesh rings throughout the hallways. Moments later the door fly open and Cersei comes walking out with a large red mark imprint across the left side of her face. Without giving the people in the hallway a glance she turns around back into the room.

"I shall wear it as a badge of honor", she announced defiantly.

"If you want I can honor you all over your body, especially your pretty face!", Robert responded.

With that the Queen turn to walk away only to run in the four men who are looking back at her. After staring at one another for a moment her surprise face quickly turns into a heated glare.

"Your Majesty", Ned says as nod his head a little. Jory and Ser Selmy follow suit.

Without responding back she walk past the group only stopping to look at Talion…

"There will come a day when you will no longer have the King's protection and on that day you'll be betting for a quick death", she hissed at him.

" _If only this human knew.", Celebrimor_ commented.

"With all due respect your Majesty", Talion started to remarked while trying his hardest to keep a smirk from appearing on his face, "I have hardly seen a reason why I would need the King's protection. Your brother wasn't exactly a challenge. In fact I had more trouble with one of your random guards than with

him."

If looks could kill Talion would have needed Celebrimor to revive him again three times over with the glare that Cersei gave him after that remark.

Without another word Cersei departed down the hall and out of sight. Talion looks back at the Ned, Jory, and Ser Selmy who are all looking at him with surprise looks on their faces.

"What? I was respectful. I said your Majesty", Talion pointed out.

Before anyone could replied back a voice shouts from inside the room…

"Get your arses in here before I piss myself waiting for you!"

"And here we go", Ned commented as he went into the room follow by Jory and Talion.

Ser Selmy was watching Talion as he walked into the room while in his mind a thought was playing in his head…

" _For someone who has face a number of overwhelming odds today he seem to act like it just a normal thing for him. I wonder what would have happen between us if Lord Stark hadn't intervene?"_

_**Hours later at the Docks outside the Mud Gate** _

"Of course it be raining tonight. I mean why the fuck not", Jory complained as he and Talion were standing under a stable in the fish market outside the main city watching the local residents finished up going about their business as the rain pours down on top of them.

"I don't see what the big deal", Talion said, "If anything the rain helps us blend in more and allows us a better chance to spot their guards without them spotting us."

Jory who was already drenched looks over at Talion only to notice that he doesn't seem faze at all the downpour.

"You seem to be quiet at home in this mess Talion", he pointed out.

"Back in Nurn, a land bordering to Mordor the rain was a useful ally. It allowed you to be unseen by your enemies and it even covered up your scent so you couldn't even be track by smell."

"Well the hiding from sight part I can see, but I doubt that we'll need to hide our scent from these folks", Jory pointed out as he looked over at the large shipping supplies warehouse that was down the street from their location.

According to King Robert latest intel from Varys, this was the new supposed location of the slave traders. As Talion was checking out the location he was started to see why the King only wanted to just send him at first.

The warehouse of one of the larger ones on the waterfront surrounded on both it sides by equally large buildings. Thanks to his wraith's sight Talion was easily able to spot the sentries the slavers had posted up on the roof of the warehouse and on top of all the buildings surrounding it. But his sight also pick up something else inside the main warehouse.

He could very clearly see the recently captured people being held in the cages below ground in the basement of the warehouse. He counted around a good twenty of them, along with about sixteen guards wandering about the place.

But what really caught his attention were the five figures that were standing off to the side in a smaller room. They weren't in the cages but it still seem that they were separated from the rest of the slavers. That and the aura they were given off was of the same type the orcs captains in Mordor had.

" _Probably best I leave Jory here. I don't want him to become dead weight",_ Talion thinks.

" _That would be most wise ranger",_ Celebrimor remark, " _especially with those five figures in there."_

"Are we even sure that this is the right building?" Jory question, "I mean it doesn't look like the place you would keep people against their will. You would think a more isolated place would be befitting."

" _Right he probably can't see the sentries thru the rain",_ Talion thought.

"Trust me this is the place", Talion reassured him as he turned around, "You want to know why I know this is the place?"

"How?"

"Tell me Jory, have you notice the lack of city's watchmen in the area?", Talion asked.

Jory gives him a confused glance for a moment before looking up and down the streets and to his surprise he could only spot under half a dozen Goldcloaks patrolling the waterfront.

"The seven hells? This area must at least have over five thousands people in it at any given time and that not even counting the ships' crews. Why are there so few goldcloaks around?" Jory asked.

"It would seem there not only a mole in the City's watch ranks but also it a high-level mole at that. He must be keeping most of the patrols out of this part of town. He put only enough to make it seem like he doing his job but not enough to cause the slave traders trouble. Also these goldcloaks might well be in slavers' pockets as too", Talion explained as he started walking toward the building in front of them, "I going on ahead to get a closer look. I'll need you to stay here."

"What? What was the point of me volunteering to come if you were just going to leave me here?", Jory asked.

"Lookout of course", Talion replied, "If things go bad I'll need someone to go back to the Red Keep and get the some men down here.", and with that he left before Jory even had a chance to retort, walking briskly toward the building directly across from them but still four buildings down from the warehouse.

Going to the side of the buildings and making sure no one else was around he quickly scales the three story building to the top of the roof just as the rainstorm started to produce thunder and lightning.

" _Well that makes things much easier now don't it?",_ Talion thinks as he creep along the roof toward the next building where two sentry were standing watch. Stopping at the edge Talion quickly scans the area surrounding them. While doing so he picks up on the four sentries on the two buildings behind them as well as the six sentries on the three buildings across the street from them.

" _For there to be so many lookouts there must be something here they really want to keep secret beside just slaves",_ Talion thought, " _I mean worst come to worst they could just abandon the slaves and start up new somewhere else if they're at risk of being caught, but this is just too much."_

" _I have a strong feeling it has something to do with the five people in the room",_ Celebrimor inquired.

Talion focus the Elven Lord's magic thru his hand and concentrate…

" _I have fourteen arrows available right now with twelve targets within range. I don't want to waste them all here but my options are limited. No doubt I need to take out the six across the street but if I play my cards right I can take out the six on this side with Acharn and not raise the alarm."_

And with that he readily Azkar and wait for the perfect moment to fire…

The crack of thunder and the flash of lightning a moment later was all the signal he needed. As the thunder booms across the land Talion takes focus and lets loose an arrow at the sentry across the road leaning on the edge of the rooftop watching the streets below. And the streets were the last thing he would see as the arrow struck him on the left side of his temple and he slump down with his upper body leaning over the ledge letting out one last groan as he passes into the next world. His partner who was facing the other way turns around to hear what the noise was only to catch an arrow in the space between his eyeball and eyebrow making him fall backward from the impact.

With the first two down Talion takes off using his Elven swiftness he leaps across the gap between the building he was standing on and onto the one next to it just as the two sentries on it turn to face him. Without skipping a beat he pulls Acharn out and flings it into the throat of the one on the left while using a spectral dagger to hit the one on the right in the gut. As the left one slumps to the ground and the right one was temporarily holding his stomach after the hit Talion swiftly moves in getting in front of him. Using one hand to grabs his throat and keep him steadily he uses the other one to see into his mind and what he found was….

Nothing.

This guy was a petty thief from the streets recently hired by the slavers about a week ago to just stand watch for them.

"Are you serious? He knows nothing else.", Talion said outloud before letting out a sigh and knocking the guy out with a knee to the gut.

" _You could have just dominate him and use him for something else ranger",_ Celebrimor stated.

" _Controlling orcs was bad enough I draw the line at controlling human unless absolutely necessary",_ Talion countered.

" _Humph_. _You and your feeble human morals will be the end of you",_ Celebrimor said.

" _Sure they will",_ Talion says as he ready Azkar once more and takes aim.

Five minutes later with the rest of the sentries dead and no significant new information gain Talion is standing on the roof of the warehouse dispatching the final lookout.

"So between the six sentries on the buildings beforehand and the two on this roof all I found out was the fact that there a ship coming in tonight to pick up the slaves and the fact that those five figures seldom leave the room and they're in hooded cloaks when they do", Talion thought outloud in annoyance.

" _Sound about right ranger."_

" _Guess I have to do this the old-fashion way and see for myself",_ Talion said as he slip away toward the edge of the roof. Looking down and using his wraith's visions he was able to see reddish outline of the five figures standing around in the room and from the way their bodies were moving it seem like they were in the middle of an argument. Jumping off the roof and landing with a hard thump on the ground he silently crept towards a window that allow him to peer into the room. What he saw though surprise him…

Standing in the middle of the room were five men each with copper skin, dark almond eyes and jet black hair. Each of them was covered in tattoos that appear all over their bodies though in different patterns from one another. All of them had long braid hair that reach pass their wastes and were covered in tiny bells. The last thing that caught Talion's attention was the fact that each of them had dual swords attached to their waist that were long and curved like a scythe. They remind Talion of the ones some of the orcs in Mordor wielded.

On the table to the far side of the room were a number of bolas, whips, daggers, and two huge re-curved bows.

" _Those could be trouble",_ Talion thought just as he tune in to the argument the five were having.

*" **Nizho! Yer tokik! Kisha eth mra tihikh arrekoon kisha ase ha Khal Drogo**!", the tallest man yell at a shorter though more muscular man in a language Talion couldn't understand.

*" **Jin dirge toki! Rekak zasqa mezhah** -" the shorter one started to yell.

*" **Vo alikh mel ase ha yer qisi khalessi! Chak che athdrivar**!", the tall one said as he drew his swords.

*" **Jin asshekn anha addrivat yeri**!" the smaller one said as he too drew his swords.

*" **HAF**!", one of the remaining three screamed as he look toward the window Talion was peering through. Talion ducks his head back down quickly, and hope that he wasn't seen.

*" **Ato jinne. Ato driv vosma zin thir. Anha frakholat me**.", he said as he move closer toward Talion's window with both of his swords now drawn while the last two grabs the bows on the table and took aim.

Talion is outside the window feeling the man get closer with each passing moment. He had already drawn both Acharn and Urfael and was preparing himself. All the while one thought crosses thru his mind…

" _This morning I defeated the Black Hand/Sauron and this evening I have somehow ended up crouching outside a window trying to bring down a slave trade in a strange new land. Funny how life seems to keep throwing surprises at me."_

**A/N: That weird language is Dotharki. There a official Dothraki dictionary out on the internet that the show invented that I use. The translation are below. BTW it was a bitch coming up with sentences for the Dothraki in their language. Next chapter will be the fight scene along with a special someone showing up for Talion. Also I always thought since the Dothraki were in Essos and there still magic in Essos that they can sense the supernatural. This will be a problem for Talion later on.**

**P.S.: Why are there Dothraki in King's Landing? Have Ned and Robert's worst fears come to light? Find out next chapter.**

**"Nizho! You Fool! We must keep out of view until we receive word from Khal Drogo!"**

" **This idea dumb! That white whore-"**

" **No more bad word from you about khaleesi! Silent or death!**

" **This day I kill you!"**

**"QUIET!"**

" **Something here. Something dead but still alive. I feel it."**

**Nizho apparently means "to be tough"**


	6. The Discovery.

**Chapter 6**

**The Discovery**

As the copper-skin man moves closer to the window, Talion readies himself for he knows what is about to come next. He grips both Archarn and Urfael and mentally prepares himself for what he sure will be a tough battle.

" _If I can just keep something, anything between the archers and myself, I may be able to get close enough to take them out. They may not be using crossbows like the Uruks do but from the looks of those bows they could still pack a punch",_ Talion thought to himself as the man was nearly at the window. And just as Talion was ready to plunge Archarn into the man's face as soon as it pass the window slit...

The door to the room comes flying open and all five turn around at the ready while the two archers on pure instinct release their volley into the figure standing in the doorway.

"AAAHHH!", was the man's death wail as he was shot through the heart ( **A/N: and he to blame, literally)** and pierce through the right eye.

"Seven hells!", the man behind him yells as the man slumps backward right into him smearing blood all over his clothes.

" **Nakho!",** the man closest to the window where Talion is hiding yells as both archers stop while in the midst of nocking another arrow.

As the man looks down at the corspe he lets out a huff of mild annoyance, "Aw poor Jodie. I told him to knock and wait for ya to answer, but does he listen? Oh well, better him then me."

He looks back behind him to two more men standing there with their eyes wide open in shock, "Clean that up. Dump him in the bay with some rocks attach to him. That sure keep him from floating back up for at least a couple of weeks.", he commands while pointing to the body. The two men nod and immediately drag the body away while the head man turns back toward the room's occupants who still had their weapons out and were looking at him in the way a lion looks at a deer.

"Well, ahem. I hope ya are all enjoying your… accommodation that when have provided for you. If possible I like to go over to finer points of our agreement.", the man said though Talion could tell through his tone that he was scared for his life. The copper-skin men could tell as well if the way they were smiling was anything to go off of.

" **Jin zasqa filkak athtihar ven me ven hilelat ma jano!"** the one known as Nizar jokingly tells the other outloud.

" **Vosma me she essheya che ei tor?"** ask one of the archers.

This causes all five of them to bust out laughing as the archers lower their bows and the rest sheathe their swords except for the one closet to the window who stick his head out the window and looks to his left and then to his right…

Only to see no one around. He shakes his head and brings it back inside. As he walks away he looks back once more and muttered, " **Ato hazze vas jin rhaesheser.",**

" _I'm so glad no one ever looks up",_ Talion thinks as he hangs onto the window above the one the copper-skin man look out of.

He pulls himself up to the window and pushes on the glass. To his sheer amazement it opens up and Talion see that the coast is clear and jumps in.

Only to have the door open up just as he lands.

And in strolls in everyone favorite Second Sons charismatic, sword wielding, joke making, backstabbing, has a way with the ladies (Mr. Steal your girl and leave you in the friend-zone) mercenary: Daario Naharis.

And the look on his face was priceless.

**Back at the Red Keep**

High up in Maegor's Hold-fast a calm and silence Ned Stark looks out the tower's window as the storm rage on, his eyes set on a certain warehouse by the waterfront.

" _I got a bad feeling about this",_ Ned thinks to himself as he then turns around to see a frantically pacing Robert.

"I can't shake this feeling Ned", Robert complains, "It been bugging me for a while now."

"Glad I'm not the only one", Ned replies.

"It the same feeling I got right before Ashford all those years ago. I had a nagging feeling at the back of my head after I ignore Stannis advice to not to attack the castle, but I push it aside because I was itching for a quick victory", Robert explained as he stop and looked over at his Hand.

"And that got you chase back to Stoney Sept where Lord Hoster and I had to come save your arse", Ned concluded with a slight smile.

"And I'll thanked you for that Ned until the day I died, but this feeling is even worse now then it was back then", Robert said as he carries on with pacing back and forth, "I got the thinking that the old man may have discover something bigger than a slave trade going on here in King's Landing."

"What are you talking about Robert?", Ned questioned.

"Think about it Ned. Old man Jon could have order some lord from the Vale to deal with the situation, or handle it himself without having to tell me, he done so in the past lots of times. But he didn't, he came straight to me about it. Seven Hells, he didn't even tell Varys", Robert said.

"Probably because he already knew and just kept this mouth shut about it", Ned pointed out, "Robert I been thinking, but has it ever occur to you that Varys is the one tipping off the slavers about when the city guards are coming? I mean he was the Mad King's Master of Whispers."

"Aye the thought has cross my mind", Robert confess, "But he could have easily have just mislead us whenever he wanted. But when the guards raided those warehouses they found evidence that the slavers were there recently."

"So then what will you do Robert?", Ned asked.

"I gonna listen to that nagging feeling in my head", Robert said, "I'm going to find out for myself what the old man may have stumble upon."

"Are you sending the guards to the warehouse then?"

"Seven Hells no!", Robert boomed, "I tired of having other men do my work for me. It time to stop acting like King Robert and start acting like General Robert, the man who fought and won the crown. I'm going to make sure this is the last time the slavers operate in my city. I'm going down there myself."

"Shall I gather the guards then?", Ned asked not even trying to the talk the king out of his reckless plan.

"No.", Robert commanded, "I don't trust the city's guards or the Lannister troops. Go fetch some of your men along with the Stormlanders Renly bought with him, and Sir Selmy as well. I have another feeling that this isn't going to be a walk in the forest and I want capable men by my side. Now go!"

Ned gives a nod and heads out the door as Robert turns toward the window looking out those the warehouse as the storm went about its business…

"There a bigger storm than this coming our way. The likes of which has not been seen since the day Aegon the Conqueror came to Westeros' shores.", Robert tells himself.

_**Back at the Warehouse** _

The two swordsmen stared each other down for what seen like an eternity. The minutes ticked away as both men hover their hands over there respective weapons.

Finally Daario snaps his fingers as an expression of recognition don his face…

"That where I remember you from", he began to say, "You're the man from the brothel this morning, the one that jump off the roof and slew a dozen men and fought the Kingslayer fellow."

Talion eyebrows arch in confusion, "You were there?"

"Some of the boys wanted a good time. We been stuck in King's Landing for months now with little to nothing to do", Daario said as he gave a shrug.

"And might I ask why you're here in King's Landing? You don't look or dress like a local."

"This city is a major center of trade for both Westeros and Essos. People from all over the world come here to trade, live, and die. Is it really so odd to see a person like myself here?" Daario responded as he closes the door.

The whole time Daario been talking Talion has been analyzing his gear and equipment, finally upon him finishing talking…

"First of off the fact that you're wielding the same type of sword as the men downstairs, who obviously aren't from around here, is a tip off. Second, you're in a warehouse of supposed slave traders, and third the fact that you haven't try to raise the alarm yet upon seeing me just screams unusual."

" _Also the fact that he giving off the same aura as a warchief is also a factor. You didn't even have to use my sight to tell that",_ Celebrimor chimed in, " _Tread lightly with this one ranger."_

"Oh, observant I see", Daario commented, "That good, it seems I was right in thinking you would be a fun person to have a go with", as he begin to draws his swords.

"You sure you want to do that?", Talion asks as he draws Urfael and Acharn

"I have a strict code my friend. I only sleep with women who want it, and I only kill people who are trying to kill me. But you see if I let you go then you'll no doubt tell the authorities what going on here and that will no doubt ruined the contract my men and I have with our client", Daario explained.

"And what contract is that?"

"Sorry my friend but I can't tell you that part", Daario says as he takes a stance causing Talion to do the same.

"Now come ", Daario said as he ready his blades, " I already seen that you can fight with a sword. But I, Daario Naharis of Tyrosh, Lieutenant of the Second Sons wonders if you can dance with it."

And with Talion and Daario charge those one another, both men fully intended on seeing just who was the better swordsman.

The moment they were within sword length of one another Daario comes down with an overhead slash with his sword while thrusting his stiletto toward Talion's chest. Talion twists his body out of the way just enough to have the dagger barely miss him as he brings Urfael up to block the sword strike. Reacting quickly he goes to stab Daario in his chest with Acharn only to have Daario simply jump back out of reach of Talion.

"Ah very good.", Daario chuckled, "Very good indeed my friend. Not the grace that I myself possess but still impressive nonetheless."

Talion doesn't even respond as he jumps toward Daario barely missing him with a horizontal slash as Daario drops to the floor to dodge the hit. He takes a sweep with his sword at Talion's feet only for the ranger to block it by shoving Urfael into the floor right in front of the blade, blocking it but forcing him to use Archarn for the time being. As he kick the sword out of his hand and dives at Daario with Archarn out. The Tyroshi mercenary sit up in time to catch him just as he collides with him. The two roll around on the floor, each one holding back the other dagger as they fight for the upper hand.

A loud banging at the door causes both of them to pause mid-struggle…

"Oi Daario! You okay in there?!", a voice rings out on the other side of the door, "We're hearing some strange noises coming from your room!"

Using the distraction to his advantage lands a solid punch on Talion causing him to stagger back a little.

"Well my friend it seem this little dance of our has come to an end earlier than I expected, no matter though, I have a ship to catch anyway", Daario says as the door bust open and six men with their swords out appear at the entrance.

"Get him!", the head man yells as they rush Talion who pulls Urfael out of the floor and readies himself.

"If you should somehow survived this, I, Daario Naharis of Tyrosh would love to dance with you once more!", he yells as the swagger out the door.

"So much for stealth", Talion comments as he sidestep to avoid a downward slash from the first assailant to reach him and stabs Urfael through his gut. Kicking him off the sword he propel him backward into the rest of the group knocking three of them to the ground while the other two maintain their charge.

Both Talion and one of the attackers swords clash upward while the second moves to flank the ranger from the side, but he was in for a surprise.

Just as the flanker's sword was about to come down on Talion it block by the ghostly blade of Celebrimor. The attacker is stun into petrifying fear by this turn of events and by the spectre face of Celebrimor, giving Talion time to push his attacker's blade back and finish him with a downward slash before turning to behead the frozen one. Celebrimor disappears back into Talion just as the other three pull themselves to together and charge him.

The three men encircle Talion, swords at the ready.

"Now which one gets to have a go with him first?", the man on Talion's left voiced.

"I think I will", the man to the right said as he charges Talion his sword prepared to thrust through his gut. Spinning around quickly Talion avoids the sword while sending the man barreling straight into the man on the other side of him, his sword coming out the back of him coated in his blood. Talion flicks Acharn into the back of the man's head and both bodies slump to the floor. Talion then charges the mercenary in front of him who was too shocked by what just transpire to take advantage of the situation.

Talion vaults over him and grabs him for behind with his hand on his head.

"Forfeit your mind!", Celebrimor yells as he began to read the man's mind.

**Inside the Mercenary's Mind**

_Talion see Daario, along with a few guards, standing in the middle of a grassy plain talking to a large copper-skin man on horseback, with a beautiful silver-blonde haired woman with glorious purple eyes, also on horseback, next to him._

" _So when your horde lands and approaches the city, we are to attack the guards at the gates and open them for you and your men so they can charge in, correct Khal Drogo?", Daario asked looking up at the towering man who was barely paying attention to him," And my slaver contacts will house us while we wait."_

" _Yes", is all that the one called Khal Drogo said as the woman next to him begun to speak._

" _In exchange for doing this, you and your men will be given a large share of the riches within the city, but only if you do not harm any innocents people", she said._

_This causes Daario to laugh as the woman watches on._

" _Is there something you find amusing?", she asked in a tone that suggest Daario should stop what he was doing._

" _Khaleesi is it?", Daario asked while ignoring a heat glare from Khal Drogo, "Why should my men refrain from enjoying the spoils of war when surely your Khal and his screamers will not?"_

_The woman known as Khaleesi is silence and doesn't answer Daario question._

" _I see", Daario says with a smile as he turns back to the Khal, "It seems ours business is done for now. Me and a hundred of my men will board ships for King's Landing immediately", as he looks over at the five copper-skin men who were identical to the ones Talion saw downstairs, "And we'll be taking along your scouts as well, as promise in our agreement."_

_As Daario, his guards, and the five scouts get on their horses and leave, the Tyroshi mercenary calls back out to the Khal and Khaleesi._

" _Now just to be sure, your Dothraki horde will landed in-", Daario starts to say before Talion's concentration is cut short by the sounds of yelling._

**Back in The Real World**

"Damn it!", Talion curses as he uses the man as a shield to block the incoming arrows that were fired at him, "I was so close!"

As he pushes the body to the side and readies himself, the five Dothraki scouts, which he now knows them as, spread out in front of him.

" **Driv at ha hatif"** the center one shouted out, " **Yer driv!"** as he sprints toward Talion both swords flailing about.

With Acharn still lodges into the dead mercenary's head, Talion only had Urfael to defend himself from the Dothraki.

Talion blocks the downward strike that the man makes with his left sword. Talion moves in closer to the man just in time to catch the wrist of his right hand preventing him from using his second blade. As the two struggle for dominance, Talion barely able to notice that none of the other Dothraki are attacking him. In fact its seems that they were cheering the one fighting him on.

To Talion's surprise the Dothraki was beginning to simultaneously push Urfael down while also trying to break out of his grip.

" _These men prowess in strength is no laughing matter",_ Talion thought for even back in Mordor he knew better than to try to match a orcs for strength," _A horde worth of men like him could spell trouble for this land."_

" _Thinks of something fast ranger, or it will not end well for you!",_ Celebrimor warned as suddenly a loud ringing of bells went off. This for a split second caught the Dothraki's attention giving the Talion the opening he was looking for. He delivers a powerful kick to the man's kneecap causing him to loss his balance and go stumbling to the floor.

The Dothraki tries to bring his swords up to defend himself from any of Talion's attack, but he second too late and the last thing he see is the glittering shine of Urfael and his last thoughts are whether or not he'll be able to ride alongside the Great Stallion in the afterlife. ( **A/N Their religion a little foggy on what happen if their beheaded. The show says one thing, the books say another."**

As the Dothraki's head rolls on the floor toward the remaining four Talion picks Acharn out of the dead mercenary's skull and glares toward them his eyes glowing menacingly...

"Well, who next? I'm not getting any younger", Talion says, "Or older for that matter."

 **A/N:** Daario will face Talion again later on, you can be sure of that. When will the horde landed? Can King Robert win against the Dothraki Horde?

" **Jin zasqa filkak athtihar ven me ven hilelat ma jano!/** This white coward looks like he like to have sex with dog.

 **Vosma me she essheya che ei tor/** But he on top or on all four?

 **Ato hazze vas jin rhaesheser/** something there not this world

 **Driv at ha hatif/** dead one from before

 **Yer driv/** you dead

Nakho / stop

Chapter 7: A Brawl of the Waterfront: Talion prepares for the horde while teaching Arya the sword.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**The Deal (Preview)**

The alarm bell echoed throughout the port causing a stir amongst the populace. As what few Goldcloaks that were around tried to maintain order, Jory spots multiple groups of foreigners moving with a purpose from the other warehouses to the one where the bell was originated from...the very one that Talion entered only minutes ago.

Jory instinctively reaches for his sword and was about to unsheathe it when reason overcomes him.

"By the old gods, what exactly was I planning to do?", Jory asked himself as he slid the sword back in, "Charge in there by myself?"

But as he watches hundreds of men flood the warehouse he could only imagine how the man who saved his life this morning was going to get out of this.

Without warning, Jory starts to hear the ground slightly shake underneath him. As he tries to figure out what was causing it he hears the sound of horses galloping from behind him. He turns to see what was coming and is shocked by the source of the shaking and noises.

"By the Old Gods of the Forest."

**Inside the Warehouse**

Talion was pose with both Urfael and Archarn out, ready for any of the remaining Dothraki scouts to make their move.

"Well what are you waiting for cowards?", Talion challenges as he spits at their feet.

" **Yer Mezhah!" (You whore),** one of the swordsman yells and charges Talion.

" _I have had just about enough of trying to figure out what they're saying",_ Talion thought as he spun out of the way of the dual downward sword slash the copper-skinned man launch at him. Using Urfael, he severed the man left leg and before the unfortunate soul could even collapse from the sudden loss of balance Talion's hand is death-gripping his head.

" _I SEE YOU!",_ as the remaining three copper skinned men could only stare in horror as the comrade's eyes began to glow blue while Talion takes on a specter from.

" _Can you not work any faster Celebrimbor?",_ Talion asks the Elven Lord.

" _Yes Ranger, because absorbing the entire language of a people I didn't know even existed is a simple task."_

As Talion and Celebrimbor search deeper into the man's mind, he discovers that his race is called the Dothraki; they're better cavalry fighters than they are infantry, and they are led by a man named Khal Drago.

" _Make haste Celebrimbor!"_

" _Almost, almost",_ Celebrimbor says as one of the Dothraki archers snaps out of his fear struck pose and notches an arrow and takes aim at Talion's head.

" _Celebrimbor!"_

" _There!"_ The First Age Elven Lord screamed.

Talion lifts the Dothraki upward by the head just as the archer releases his arrow. The arrow impales itself through the head of the comatose man, coming out his left eye socket. The arrow tips stop only a mere half an inch from Talion's right eye as he hears the men shouted in their native tongue.

" **Get him!"**

" _There ranger",_ Celebrimbor says, " _You now know their language, congratulation."_

"If _only when could use your snide remarks as a weapon. I believe neither Sauron, Smaug, or even Morgoth himself could stand against it",_ Talion comments as he tosses the corpse aside and enters the Wraith realm while summoning Azkar, " _I don't have time to mess with these three."_

" _You do realize you only have five shots at the moment and that it will take some time before they replenish?"_ Celebrimbor asked.

" _I only need three,_ Talion boosted as he drew back and time slow down. Seconds later there were three more corpses lying on the ground.

"Well that was easy", Talion said.

" _Ranger, did it ever occur to you that one of them might have known the reasoning behind them being here? Or better yet, the planned date for the invasion",_ Celebrimbor asked causing Talion to think a moment before groaning.

"Why didn't you say something sooner?"

" _I figure you had a plan ranger. But for now I think it's time we left before more of them show up",_ Celebrimbor suggested as the sounds of heavy footsteps were heard on the other side of the door.

Without a second thought, Talion climbs through the window and onto the roof. He enters the Wraith world and looks down into the room just as the first group of armed men burst through the door.

"What in the seven hells happen here?!"

"All five of them are dead! Who could take out five Dothraki?!

"Hey, is that Orgauta and his gang on the floor as well?"

"Where the fuck is Daario?!"

"Search the entire compound! Whoever did this couldn't have gotten far!"

"What are we going to do about the goldcloaks? That alarm going to raise some questions, no doubt!"

"They got their cut for the month! They'll make up some story to cover this up, now get going!"

And with that all the men filed out. Through the specter sight Talion was able to see that at least a good two hundred men were gathered in the main open area of the warehouse, searching through every nook and cranny for anyone who didn't belong there. As he moved toward the large window that was in the center of the roof, he noticed something odd.

Inside of a barrel off to the left side of the warehouse, he spotted someone squirmed about.

" _What?",_ Talion thought as he stood a better look. He noticed the body of the person was almost identical to a certain Hand of the King's daughter who he met this morning.

"Couldn't be, there's no way she overheard us talking to her father about this.", Talion tells himself.

" _That girl has already proven that she is more than meets the eye",_ Celebrimbor reminded Talion.

"The chances of her being here are as low as me running into a dwarf that doesn't...have...a...full...beard", Talion starts to say as he realizes that the old Gondor saying holds little meaning for him ever since he met Torvin.

Talion closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose as he takes a deep breath, "This girl is starting to become more like Ratbag."

" _That orc could at least talk his way out of most situations",_ Celebrimbor pointed out, " _Which I fear that girl won't be able to. Turn your sight downward ranger."_

Talion does so and sees why Arya won't be able to talk herself out of this situation. It seems that she was found out and was being dragged to the middle of the warehouse with hundreds of armed men surrounding her.

"Well now what do we have here?", a burly looking man asks as he yanks Arya up by her hair, "A little bitch hiding like a rat!"

"Let me go!", the girl screams as she tries to claw at the man who in response for her defiance only yank her hair harder.

"I say we have a little fun with her before we gut her", a voice shouted from the crowd.

"That's not a bad idea-AHHHH", the man holding Arya suddenly screams as Arya had drawn Needle before anyone could stop her and stab the man through his leg. The man backhands her away from him, making her drop her sword in the process.

"Why the Seven hells did no one take her sword away?!", he screamed as he clutches his leg in pain.

"Hey Forus, you were the one that found her and dragged her out of the barrel. Why didn't you?", a voice rang out as all the men began to laugh at their fellow sellsword expense.

Forus death glares at Arya, who still continue to remain defiant despite the fact that the situation was not going well for her.

"You're uglier than any whore I had in King's Landing, but seeing how it been three days since I had a cunt to plow, you'll do nicely!", as he limps over to Arya who tries to reach for Needle only to have it kick away by a spectator.

"Not today little cunt", The man sneers as he looks toward Forus, "Hey, once you're done I call seconds on her!"

"Hah once I'm done with her, she'll be lucky if she still alive", Forus said as he started to unbuckle his pants, "Hold her down!"

Two men grab Arya and hold her down as she flail her legs about in a effort to hit them and Forus draws ever closer. All the other men laugh and snicker at the spectacle while Talion watches from on top of the roof.

" _Ranger, I know what you're planning and I must advise against it. Not even someone as skillful as yourself can hope to best so many foes and still protect the girl",_ Celebrimbor tried to reason with Talion as the ranger draws Urfael and position himself in front of the rooftop glass opening.

" _What exactly do you hope to accomplish here ranger?! You have no obligation to help this girl!",_ Celebrimor bellows but his words fall on deaf ears.

" _Very well then ranger, seeing how I can't convince you otherwise, at least tell me ranger why you're doing this?"_

"Honor-bound", was all Talion says as he jumps up and dive feet first through the glass, shattering it upon impact.

Arya looks up toward the noise she and everyone else just heard to see the very reason she came to the warehouse plummeting toward her. Maybe it was the light of the torches along with the crackling of lightning reflecting off the falling glass that surrounded him along with his blade and dagger, but for that brief moment in time Arya sworn to the Old Gods that Talion wasn't a man anymore, but a spirit from another time.

Like the ones from the stories Old Nan used to tell her. How the vengeful spirits of the forest who would cut down anyone who dare defile their sanctuary while protecting all those that reside peacefully within it.

Arya is still memorized by the sight when he severed the head of the man known as Forus as he hits the ground and is rendered speechless when he does a flawless spin upon landing and slashes the necks of the two men holding her down. It's only after their blood splatters across her face that she comes to her senses and realizes that he killed those two men all before Forus' head even fell past his chest.

As she lets out the breath she didn't know she was holding and breathe in again, she watches in awestruck amazement as Talion cuts through the small army like a butcher cuts through meat. Every time his sword and dagger fell, blood was spilled. It would seem that most of the men had put their swords away to watch her get violated by their comrade, a mistake which had already cost half a dozen of their friends dearly for they had no defense to muster up against Talion as he continued his slaughter.

"Where did he come from?"

"Who cares?! Kill him!"

Just as a majority of the mercenaries gain their senses and redrew their blades, there was a thundering bang at the front cargo doors of the warehouse. Everyone attention, including Arya and Talion, was suddenly drawn to the front as the doors came crashing down, revealing a sight that filled Arya's heart with joy and fear at the same time.

For standing there surrounded by hundreds of armed Stormlanders, few Northmen, Jory, and King Baratheon himself was her father brandishing House Stark's valyrian steel sword, Ice. He instantly locks eyes with her and the look upon his face becomes one only a parent could form upon seeing their own child in danger.

"Arya?!"

Robert notices Ned discomfort and follows his line of sight and locks eyes with Arya.

"Seven Hells Ned! And people think I can't keep my children in line!", he grumbles before turning to Talion, "You there! Protect the girl, your King demands it!"

He then turns his attention back toward the hundreds of not-so-friendly men glaring at him. He raises his warhammer in one hand and points at the group with the other.

"Now listen here you lot of putrid cunts! Surrounded now and I'll give you all a light sentence of ten to twenty years. Resist and I'll make no promises that you'll live to see tomorrow! You're outnumbered at least two to one! The choice is yours!"

The men all stare at one another for a moment before simultaneously unsheathing their swords.

Robert's face breaks out into a ear-splitting grin as he hefts his warhammer high upon his head, "Praise be to the Warrior, I was hoping you lot would choose this option! And once I'm done fucking you like the whores you are, your mothers are next! Men of the Stormlands, men of the North, show them no mercy!"

A cry rings out from the men surrounded Robert as he, Ned, and Jory charge toward the sellswords, with hundreds of men following after them.

Robert claimed first blood as he bashes in the skull of the first sellsword he made contact with while he was trying to make a slash at the King's large chest.

"Been a good nine years since I heard a crunch like that!", Robert bellows as he drives the spike of his hammer into the neck of a nearby second man, "Now you bastards make like a Lys' prostitute and show me a good time!"

While Robert was reveling in the thrill of battle, Ned and Jory were cutting down sellswords left and right for entirety different reasons.

"Why is Arya here?!", Ned demanded from Jory as he took the head clean off a man before turning to parry the strike from another.

"I do not know, my lord!", Jory answered as he cuts off the wrist of the man he was fighting and merely pushes him out the way as he and Lord Stark slowly worked their way to where Talion was protecting Arya.

Fortunately for Talion, all the sellswords had turned their attention to the Stormlanders, leaving both the ranger and the Hand of the King's daughter alone for the moment.

"Are you alright?", he asks as he turns to the girl.

Arya was about to answer when she spotted something behind Talion. Her face fills with dread as she points a finger toward the upper level of the warehouse.

"Talion! Crossbowmen!", she screams as Talion swiftly turns to see that two men wielding crossbows had positioned themselves above the carnage and were taking aim downward. Within a half a second Talion was able to predict their targets and it was not good. Each of them had chosen King Robert and Ned Stark as their mark and Talion had seconds, if not less, to act.

Throwing caution to the wind, he draws Azkar once more and takes aim. The first shot takes the closest crossbowman in his cheekbone under his left eye, dropping him like a sack of potatoes. The second man only has time to glance over at his comrade before he feels something pierce through his neck and he slumps over the railing.

Talion desummons Azkar and was preparing to charge into the fray when he hears a gasp behind him. He turns around; prepare to deal with any sellswords that might try to catch him off-guard only to see a frozen Arya still lying on the ground.

" _I forgot she was there",_ Talion berates himself.

" _Most unwise ranger",_ Celebrimbor commented.

Arya had her hand over her mouth and was looking at Talion, but not with eyes of terror that Talion thought she would have, but eyes of wonder.

"How did you do that? That was amazing! Could you teach me how to do that?! What did you just become?" she stood and ranted off before Talion grabs her by the arm and leans over to whisper in her ear.

"You forget what you saw, girl!", he spats harshly, "I have saved your life and the lives of your family countless times today! For payment of my service, I believe it would be most fair if you don't speak a word of what you saw to anyone, got it?!"

Arya only stares up at Talion slightly frighten by the change in tone of his voice. But that only lasts for a moment as a small smile started to appear on her face.

"Teach me", she says.

"Pardon?"

"Teach me the way of the sword. The style in which you fight and I swear to the Old Gods I won't breathe a word of this to anyone."

"Have you gone mad? What stopping me from cutting you down right now and blame it on someone else, namely the hundreds of mercenaries that aren't that far away from us at the moment?" Talion questions her as he points to the small battle raging no more than a couple yards from them.

"Because if you are anything like my father says you are, then you're too honorable to strike down a defenseless girl", Arya tells him as Talion lets go of her arm.

" _It seems you have found yourself in quite the mess, ranger",_ Celebrimbor says though Talion swears he heard him chuckle just now.

" _Now is not the time, elf."_

" _Then what will you do? Unless you become the girl's teacher, then your secret is revealed and I strongly believe that the people of this land will not take kindly to your… circumstances",_ Celebrimbor says.

" _It's not like they can actually kill me, I would just rise again",_ Talion points out.

" _Actually I been meaning to talk to you about that ever since we got here",_ Celebrimbor informed Talion.

" _What do you mean?"_ Talion asks, wondering what the Elf Lord was going on about.

" _Remember when I said it would take longer than usual to replenish the arrows for Azkar?"_

" _I do"._

" _Well ranger it seems that's not the only thing affected by this land's magic or lack of thereof",_ Celebrimbor explained.

" _What are you getting at?"_ Talion said, getting impatient with the elf.

" _What I'm getting at ranger is that should you be struck down while in this new land, there is no guarantee that you will rise again",_ Celebrimbor tells him, " _And before you think that this would reunite you with your wife and son, there is also strong chance that your spirit or whatever is left of it, would remain bound to this body for all eternity."_

Talion's face say it all as he slowly looks down toward Arya who merely stares up back at him.

"So what say you?", she asks, "Will you teach me the sword or not?"

Talion was breath away from answering when his nose picked up the smell of something he had gotten quite familiar with in Mordor, usually after he clean out an orc camp.

The smell of burning human flesh.

** Later on back at the Red Keep **

The battle between the forces of King Robert and the sellsword rage for hours before eventually the royal forces claim victory; Sir Selmy, who was ordered to close the docks and have the Royal Fleet blockade the port to keep anyone from escaping, reported to King Robert that they have search every warehouse and ship on the entire waterside and discovered massive numbers of captives hidden with cargo bays of over a dozen ships and at least three warehouses basements.

They also arrested the ringleader of the operation, a slave trader named Tasura Kepton, the same man Talion heard talking to the Dothraki. He was captured trying to set fire to the Dothraki corpses and managed to burn all but one of them before Talion, (along with Arya who Talion couldn't trust to be by herself) stopped him from getting it. Luckily Tasura came along quietly and without a fight once Talion put Urfael next to his throat. It was also lucky for the ranger that the one remaining Dothraki body was the first man he fought and beheaded, for Talion would have probably had a hard time answering the question on how the three Dothraki he shot with Azkar died.

But what disturbed Talion the most was the fact that Daario was either killed or arrested along with the rest of the remaining two dozen sellswords who surrender at the end.

Anyway, Talion, King Robert, and Ned were currently all down in a dungeon cell with Tasura. The man was chained by his hands to the wall being interrogated by the three while Jory and Ser Selmy guarded the door.

" _This is getting us nowhere ranger",_ Celebrimbor complained, " _The man refuses to answer the questions."_

" _I know, but I can't exactly search his mind while those two are in the room, now can I?",_ Talion replied as he glances over at a frustrated Robert and a slightly annoyed Ned.

"I'm going to ask you this again", Robert said through clenched teeth before delivering a hard punch to the man jaw, knocking out a tooth in the process, "WHY WERE YOU HIDING FIVE DOTHRAKI AND WHY WERE YOU TRYING TO BURN THEIR BODIES?!"

"I hear burning human flesh gives it flavor", Tasura sneered, "I figure your Royal Fatness would enjoy the meat."

A kick to chest stopped his laughter in a instant as Ned had to dragged Robert back, "If he dies then we learn nothing. The other sellswords had said that he was in charge of the whole operation."

"What of Daario?", Talion asked Tasura, to which both Ned and Robert turn to see the answer, "The other sellswords mention him by name a number of times."

"Ha! That bastard!" Tasura laugh through the blood in his mouth, "He was almost never around when I needed him; always off doing his own business. Hope he took a long walk off a short pier."

King Robert merely shook his head in anger, "Leave him for now. I'll be back in the morning for more questions. Right now I could use a drink and you need to punish your daughter Ned."

Ned looks over at Robert with a eyebrow raise.

"I get it Ned", Robert throws his hands up, "Once again I'm the last person who needs to be telling you do something like this. But seven hells Ned, she eavesdropped on your conversation that contained sensitive information that could have potentially undermined my rule."

"I impress that neither me, you, or Jory noticed her", Talion begrudgingly admitted causing both Robert and Ned to look at him.

"And then she snuck into an warehouse with over a hundred armed sellswords without being noticed", Robert continued.

"Once again impressive", Talion said catching Ned attention once more.

" _Even I have to admit that I'm the slightest bit impress by her stealth",_ Celebrimbor said.

"What if we hadn't shown up when we did? What do you think would had happened ?", Robert asked, "She could have even tip them off that we were on to them. I'll say this once Ned, any other person I would have Ser Ilyn Payne see to them if they did something like that or at least a month in the dungeon at the very least."

"I realize that Robert and I plan to send Arya back to Winterfell this very instant", Ned told Robert, "She's going to go back to Catelyn and learn to be a proper lady. I have let her do her own thing for too long and now she gone too far."

" _That's once less problem I have to deal with",_ Talion thought before Celebrimbor put his two cents in.

" _She will not go quietly."_

" _Excuse me?"_ Talion asked.

" _If you think she is the type of person to just lie down and take this, then you haven't been paying close enough attention to the girl and everything she done in just the one day you known her. If you do not train her, she will tell them the truth or worse yet blackmail you once again",_ Celebrimbor explains, " _And I doubt you're going to this Winterfell place with her."_

" _Then what do you expect me to do?"_

" _I have a plan, ranger. One that will work out for you in the long run",_ Celebrimbor informs Talion, " _All you have to do is repeat what I say."_

"Excuse me", Talion says getting the attention of Robert and Ned, "Might I have a say in this matter?"

** Tower of the Hand **

"You might as well start getting ready to leave", Sansa said as she watched her younger sister stare out the window, "There's no chance that father will let you stay in King's Landing after what happen."

Arya ignored her as she looked toward the courtyard and saw her father, Jory, and Talion walking out of the Red Keep and heading for the tower.

"This is what you wanted anyway. I figure you be happy to go back home", Sasha continued to speak as Arya merely waved her off.

Minutes later both Talion and Ned entered the room.

"Sansa I need to speak with Arya alone", Ned said.

Sansa got up and left the room but not before sparing Talion a look as she walked by him.

" _Okay, that's was awkward."_

The room was then silent for a time as Ned, Arya, and Talion all merely stare at one another for a moment.

"Arya", Ned started, "King Robert is not….happy about your involvement in the incident at the docks tonight."

" _I guess that's one way to put it",_ Talion thought.

"What you did was reckless, foolhardy, and just plain dangerous", Ned informed her.

"But-" Arya tried to interject, only to be silence by Ned raising his hand up as he walk to a window and continued talking while looking out it. At that moment Talion sworn he heard faint giggling coming from the other side of the door. Seeing how he was behind Ned, he briefly activated his wraith sight and see the eldest daughter, Sansa, leaning on the other side of the door.

" _It would seem both of the man's daughters have a mischievous streak",_ Celebrimbor pointed out.

" _So it seems",_ Talion agrees, " _Anyway, are you sure this plan will work?"_

" _Clearly the girl is too stubborn to just bow her head in defeat",_ Celebrimbor explained as he appear next to Talion and walk toward the girl sitting down; looking annoyed at the lecture she was receiving, " _So I propose that you make a deal with the girl. A deal that will free you from any debts you may owe her."_

 _"This better work",_ Talion said.

" _Do not fear ranger. All you have to do is treat her like one of your raw recruits",_ Celebrimbor said as Ned turn away from the window and back toward his daughter.

"That is why I'm putting you on a ship to White Harbor first thing in the morning", Ned said.

"But father-", Arya started to argued.

"Or I would have if Talion didn't propose compromise", Ned finished.

"Talion did?", Arya asks as she turn to the ranger.

"You…impress me with your ability to sneak into a warehouse without being detected", Talion started to say, "And even though you already have a sword master instructor; your father has already talk to him and it seem that he has to leave for the…Free Cities as he put it for a family emergency."

"So I won't have a sword instructor?", Arya asked.

"Talion has agreed to teach you on two conditions", Ned explained.

"And what are those conditions?", Arya asks while raising a eyebrow.

"One; you will follow his instructions no matter what", Ned said.

"Sound fair enough", Arya said, "And the second condition?"

"He will not fail you, his training will be within reason and it will be fair", Ned said, "But…"

Arya held her breath as she waited to hear her father speak.

"Should you quit at anytime; you will pack your things and be on the first ship to White Harbor the following morning. You will meet your mother there and you will begin your first lessons at become a proper lady of House Stark."

"And if by some chance I choose not to accept these conditions?", Arya asks.

"Then you shall board the first ship to White Harbor tomorrow morning, where you will meet your mother and will begin your lessons toward becoming a proper lady of House Stark along with whatever punishment your mother seems fit."

"And what punishment would that be?", Arya asked.

"Remember when you accidentally burn down half of Winterfell's stables?", Ned asked.

"Yes", Arya gulped.

"Worse than that."

" _How do you accidentally burn down stables?",_ Talion asked himself.

Arya was silence as her father finish speaking. As her mind try to make sense of the deal just offered to her, she steal a glance at Talion who was standing there with a faint smile on his face.

" _Oh, oh I see what he's doing. This way even if I quit, he still would have uphold his end of the deal, therefore I would have to uphold mine",_ Arya thought, " _So be it. How hard can the training be? I'm a northerner; not some soft, pamper, southerner."_

"I accept", Arya answered with such confidence that both Ned and Talion were taken aback. But it only took a moment for Talion to recover from it.

"Swear on your Old Gods", Talion said.

"What?"

"Swear on your Old Gods of the North that you'll accept these terms and will follow them through", Talion repeated to which Ned nods his head in agreement.

"I swear on my honor as a member of House Stark and on the Old Gods of the Forest that I, Arya Stark, will follow the conditions lay out to me", the girl vowed.

"Very well then", Talion says as he turns to leave, "Your training begins in the morning. You would do well to get some rest beforehand."

As both Ned and Talion exit the room and close the door behind them, Arya jumps up and down in celebration that she got her way and out of trouble.

"You're not going to be too hard on her, are you?", Ned asks as he and Talion walked down the hall, "She is my youngest daughter."

Talion smirks as he looks over at the Hand of The King, "I won't kill her if that what you're asking. But I'm going to make her wish she got on that boat."

**PREVIEW OF NEXT UPDATE**

"Training begins now!", Talion announce as he pours the bucket of ice cold water on the still sleeping form of Arya Stark and a bloodcurdling scream echo throughout the Red Keep a moment later, waking all who lived within it.

"You weren't ready."

**BONUS**

"You there! Protect the girl! Your King demands it!", Robert bellowed before noticing that Ned was giving him a strange look.

"What the seven hells is your problem Ned?"

"I just remember asking Talion about his homeland right before he left for the docks", Ned answered.

"And what does that have to do with me?", Robert asks.

"I believe he said that Gondor hasn't had a king in a long time and they've been getting by just fine without one. They are led by their stewards.", Ned told Robert, who only looks at his Hand of the King with a baffled expression.

"So what he was apparently saying was that?"

"Gondor has no king", Ned replies, "Gondor needs no king."


	8. Chapter 8

**The First Days Are Always The Hardest**

Talion wanted to shake his head in shame.

He really did.

Even though he didn't train the men that were tasked with the duty of guarding the Hand of the King and his family; he still felt that it was his responsibility to inform Jory and Ned that they needed to put more serious thought into increase the guards' attention to detail and alertness for he had been standing next to the two sentries guarding the front entrance to the Tower of the Hand for the past two minutes and they have yet to notice him.

" _In hindsight ranger, what did you expect_?", Celebrimor asks, " _Your stealth abilities have allow you to get past far greater challenges than human guards."_

" _I'm aware of that, it just that these people have been kind to me and I feel obligated to help them",_ Talion answered, " _I just met them yesterday morning and yet they trust me enough to walk about the castle without guards."_

" _Quite unusual, even for humans",_ Celebrimor pointed out, " _But no time for that; you have to get rid of the child."_

" _When you say it like that you make it sound like I'm going to kill her",_ Talion said.

" _Just be done with it, ranger",_ Celebrimor complained, " _The sooner, the better."_

And with that Talion began to scale the Tower of the Hand; climbing the massive building with relative ease.

"If I remember right", Talion whisper to himself, "Arya's room should be here."

" _You seem to be in quite the joyous mood despite the occasion, ranger."_

" _I'm just remembering back to when I starting courting Ioreth during my younger years",_ Talion answers, " _I use to climb to her window almost every night; mostly because I didn't have her father's permission to properly court her yet."_

" _Oh, are you planning to do the same thing to this girl as well?", Celebrimor asked._

Talion loses his footing just as he get his hand on the outer ledge of Arya's window. As he dangled in the air, his one hand the only thing keeping him from falling, the inner chamber of his mind rung with a single thought.

" _WHAT IN SMAUG'S BALLS-?!"_

" _Again with the dragon's genitals phrase",_ Celebrimor says, " _What exactly seems to be the problem? You're already on her father's good side."_

" _Even if I wasn't dead in a sense; I would easily be more than twice her age!"_  Talion argued.

" _So? My wife was one hundred younger than me when we married",_ Celebrimor pointed out, " _It was quite the scandalous affair."_

" _Are you trying to compare human culture with Elven culture?"_

" _And it's not like it's uncommon among your kind to married someone far younger than you",_ Celebrimor continued on, completing ignoring Talion's question.

" _Please do not assume all humans are the same",_ Talion almost begged as he steady himself and pulled up onto the ledge.

" _Let the tally begin",_ Talion said as he pushed open the window and peeks inside.

"One", Talion whispers as he looks down at Arya's sword Needle which was nearby in a chair and then across the room to where Arya slept soundly in her bed, "Her sword is too far out of her reach."

" _Two, the window was unlocked even though she had it closed",_ Celebrimor added.

Talion silently strolls over to the door and uses his wraith vision to look on the other side. He notices no one of the opposite side, but does pick up the energies of two set guards at both ends of the hall.

" _Three, there are no guards posted outside her door. Not actually her fault, but-"_ As he twists the doorknob and see that the door was locked. Talion does a quick glance around the room and finds the key hanging on Arya's bedpost.

" _The fact that if anyone was to attack her inside her room; there would be no one around who could get to her in time and it would take time for her to get out."_

" _So is it three or four, ranger?"_

" _I'll make it three, cause the guard thing isn't her fault. Though the window being unlocked even though it was closed, her sword being out of her reach, and the door being locked as well will count against her."_

" _Then you should get to it then, ranger. The longer you dally the longer we have to keep our end of this preposterous bargain",_ Celebrimor reminded Talion.

" _Very well, if only to stop your constant complaining",_ Talion says as he searches for something he could use to make his wakening up of Arya all the more fun. Well, fun for him anyway.

And that when he spotted it, a bucket of water no doubt left there by the servants for Arya to wash her face and hair with.

Talion dons an almost sinister grin, one that he recalls seeing a few uruk have whenever they thought they were going to claim his head….

" _Not the most evil thing I've done, but still, I almost feel sorry for the girl",_ as he grabs the bucket and holds it over Arya's head, " _Almost."_

The seconds tick by as Talion continues to hold the container over the still sleeping Arya.

" _What are you waiting for ranger?"_

" _I'm trying to remember back to what my trainer told me on my first day at the Black Gate",_ Talion replied before suddenly remembering, " _Oh yes, that was it."_

"Training begins now!", Talion announce as he pours the bucket of ice cold water on the still sleeping form of Arya Stark and a bloodcurdling scream echo throughout the Red Keep a moment later, waking all who lived within it.

"You weren't ready."

"What in the-!", Arya started to scream.

"If I recall correctly, you ask me to train you", Talion pointed out, ignoring the rant Arya's was about to go on, "And training at the Black Gate began early in the morning the day after a recruit arrived. Now to be fair, I did wake you up a little while after the sun came up, most of the recruits' first day started in the dead of night."

Talion points out the window to show that the sun indeed had barely rose over the horizon.

Suddenly there's a heavy pounding at the door the Stark's House Guards scream through the door, "Lady Arya! Are you alright?!"

Talion turns an eye toward the drench and still frustrated Arya Stark, "Well, you best go see to them so we can get training underway."

Arya's jaw drop at the pure audacity of the act Talion just suggested, "You-you can't be serious! You expected me to answer the door like this?!"

"Your father tells me that White Harbor is lovely this time of year", Talion casually says causing Arya's eyes to widen in realization of the underline threat.

" _I swore to do whatever he asks if it pertained to training and this is the beginning of my training",_ Arya brooded as she got out of her bed and stomp toward the door, water dripping from her dress as she made her way over. Talion at least had the decency to look away to hide the smile on his face.

When Arya swung open the door she found Jory along with five more guards standing there with their swords at the ready.

"Lady Arya, what has happen?", Jory asks as he scans the room behind her only to find Talion standing there waving at him.

"Talion?"

"It would seem... Sir Jory", Arya began to speak though she made no attempt to hide the anger in her voice, "That my training has begun much sooner than anyone expected. I do not require your assistance though a servant is needed to clean up the mess and change out my bedding."

Jory only stares at the girl in front of her in disbelief as he tries to comprehend what he was just told. He then looks at Talion.

"Before you even ask, I came up through the window, which was close but unlock by the way, after sneaking past the guards at the front door", Talion explained, "Jory, I won't tell you how to run your guards but you should really look into training them better at detection."

Once again Jory's mind tries to catch up as Talion walks up to him.

"If you require further questioning of my actions I shall be in the courtyard", he states as he turns his down to Arya who only glare back, "Do be quick with your cleaning up and I'll meet you there as well, and don't forget to bring your sword."

And with that Talion began to move past Jory only to come face to face with the four House Stark's guards; their swords drawn and at the ready.

" _Huh, I seem to have forgotten about them",_ Talion realize before hearing Jory's voice call out…

"Let him past", he ordered.

"But Ser Jory-", one of them began to speak.

"I witness this fellow before us slay more men yesterday than any of us here have our entire lives!", Jory barked, "No severe harm has come to Lady Arya so let him pass or Lord Stark will be sending letters home to our families, notify them of our demise!"

The five guards share looks with one another and then at Talion who merely stood there, showing no signs of aggression.

Slowly and cautiously, each of them sheath their swords and part from one another to allow the ranger through.

" _Would you have slay them if take had taken action?",_ Celebrimor asked.

" _Kill them? No, at most I would have just knocked them out"_ Talion responded, " _I don't want to deprive Ned of more men when he's surrounded by enemies here."_

**Some time later in the courtyard**

Talion was leaning on the wall of the castle's courtyard, having a conversation with Celebrimor regarding the training regiment he had in store.

" _Tell me ranger, how much of your past training are you going to incorporate into the girl's training?"_

" _Well I can't exactly do everything to her like they did to me",_ Talion told him, " _I'm trying to make her quit, not kill her."_

Before Celebrimor could reply Talion spotted Arya and Ned walking toward him with Jory in tow and the Hand of the King looked most displeased.

" _I can't wait to see how you will talk your way out of this one, ranger",_ Celebrimor said.

"As do I", Talion said as the group approach him.

"Ser Talion, might I have a word with you?", Lord Ned asks to clench teeth, "About you behavior earlier this morning."

"What seems to be the problem, Lord Stark?", Talion asked, though he have a strong feeling what it was about.

"Forgive me for I am not familiar with the customs you have in your homeland of Gondor", Ned started, "But when a man enters a lady's room without permission and at night, rumors tend to spread about the lady in question chastity."

"Lord Stark, I can assure you that the state of your daughter's virginity remains the same as it was before I enter her room", Talion said as though he commented the weather, "I also assure you that the relationship between us is and shall always remain that of a teacher and student."

Ned looked at Talion in silence, mulling over his words.

"But if you feel that I have acted in a unprofessional manners, then I ask that in exchange for saving you, Ser Jory, and Arya lives yesterday that I be allow to safely depart the castle this morning and you shall never see me again", Talion said.

"No!", Arya suddenly screamed, catching everyone's attention, especially Ned's.

'Arya? Is there something you like to add to this conversation?", Ned asked.

"It's just that…it's just that I didn't expect my training to start so soon the next day. I should have anticipated his actions and been more prepare for them", she replied, "Ser Talion was not in the wrong and like I told you earlier all he did was dump a bucket of cold water on me."

"And you're truthful in the matter that he only committed that offense upon you?", Ned questioned.

"Yes father, he did no more nor no less."

Ned closes his eyes in thought before speaking.

"Ser Talion, for your services yesterday during all the turbulent events that happen, I will overlook your outrageous actions this morning and ask that you continue to teach my daughter", The Hand of the King spoke, "But be forewarn that should you once again commit a act that would bring into question Arya's, or Sansa for that matter, chastity I will be force to take action."

Talion points upward at a window on the Tower of the Hand, "You mean Sansa, the one who been watching me for a short while before you arrived?"

Ned, Arya, and Jory all turn their heads to where Talion was pointing and sure enough Sansa was looking down at them from her chamber's window. Upon realizing that she was caught staring a blush appears on her face and she quickly moves away from the window causing Arya to laugh in response.

"There's one of your lessons that I will continue to harp into you as long as you train under me, Arya. Always be aware of your surroundings, but sometimes it pays to make it seem like you're not all that observant", Talion instructed, "It makes others lower theit guard and that's when you will have the advantage."

Ned turns back around to face the ranger of Gondor, "Seeing how all my doubts have been put to rest, I will now leave my daughter in your care, but I do have one more condition I would like to add to our agreement."

"Name it then, Lord Stark", Talion said.

"I would like to have Ser Jory supervise the training, just to make sure Arya is not put in any dangerous situations", Ned explained.

Talion knew this was going to happen eventually. To be honest he would have been more worried if Ned didn't have a couple of his guards watching the girl as he trained her.

"I have no quarrel with this. Ser Jory's presence would be most welcome", Talion agreed.

"Good, I will leave you all to it then; I have a meeting with the King this morning, so farewell", as Ned turn around and departed.

The trio stands there watching the Hand walk away until he disappears through the doors to which then Talion looks over at Arya and Jory.

"Well then, shall we get to it?"

**Inside the Royal Dungeon**

"Has he told you anything yet?", Ned asks King Robert as he enter the dungeon.

"The bastard hasn't said a damn thing!", Robert responded from his place in the hallway by the empty warden's desk, "Make me think hard about reinstating the position of the Royal Torturer!"

"Robert, that despicable title die with the Mad King", Ned pointed out.

"I know, but I hear the Lannister have a good one. The...Tickler I believe he's called."

"Roberts, there is no need for us to stoop to that level to get information", Ned tries to reason.

"Then what would you have me do Ned?! Nothing?!", Robert bellowed out, his voice echoing throughout the mostly empty cells, "Five Dothraki scouts Ned! FIVE! And the one body that was left unburnt borne the mark of Khal Drogo! You know damn well what this could imply!"

…

…

….

"Yes, Robert", Ned began, "I am more than aware of what this implies."

Robert pulled out the warden chair and unceremoniously sit down in it, " Forty thousand Dothraki could be getting prepared right as we speak to cross the Narrow Sea and put that Targaryen cunt back on the Iron Throne and my head on a pike."

"We don't know if that's for certain Robert", Ned tried to reason, "The Dothraki have never crossed the Narrow Sea before, at least not in force. For all we know Khal Drogo could have just been curious about what's on the other side of the water."

"Yeah, and what if that curiosity turns to ambition? What if he decides that instead of just demanding tribute from the Free Cities and Slaver's Bay it's easier to just get on a boat, come here and have all the rape, pillage, and slaves he and his screamers could want, whenever he wants? ", Robert asks.

"Then we'll push them back into the sea, like I told you on the way down from Winterfell!"

"That's assuming that none of the other houses take advantage of the chaos. Knowing Tywin and his golden cunts, they'll sit out and see who comes out on top, like they did during the rebellion. House Tyrell were Targaryen loyalists to begin with so there's a chance they'll join them at the drop of a hat. House Arryn will stay safe behind their mountains and everyone bastard and their mother knows House Martell and House Greyjoy are no friends to the crown", Robert pointed out.

"You still have the North, the Riverlands, The Crownlands, and the Stormlands backing you, Robert", Ned said.

"The forces of the Reach and the Westernlands more than makeup for whatever I could muster", Robert countered, "Even though the North and the Stormlands have some of the fiercest fighters in Westeros, I'm not sure that they could stand up to the Dothraki screamers and then there's…."

"There's what Robert?", Ned asks.

"A short while ago the old man establish a little spy network of his own in Essos, independent of Varys. Just like you, he didn't trust the eunuch all that much. Seven hells, he even set it up for them to pass information on to me if anything ever happen to him", Robert said.

"Is there a point to this, Robert?", Ned ask.

"Last night, I received a letter by raven", Robert said in a low, ominous voice, "The Golden Company is getting ready to set sail and it doesn't look like they're packing for a long voyage."

Silence fills the gap between Ned and Robert as the two boyhood friends let the information sink in.

"You think she could have afforded them?", Ned finally asks.

"Seven hells no and even the Dothraki thread lightly with the Golden Company! They're the most well-trained, well-supplied, and discipline sellswords in Essos, probably the world! They have elephants for damn sake!", Robert answered, "Someone else is obviously paying for all this."

"We have no definite proof that they're coming here. Perhaps they are simply using the sea to get to a client's location faster", Ned reasoned, "They have been known to do contracts for Slaver's Bay and beyond."

"Aye, you may be right there Ned, but there's a lot at stake here if we're wrong", Robert concluded.

"Say we're wrong; what exactly are we going to do to prepare for it?", Ned questioned.

Robert looks at Ned with an exasperated look, "Prepare?! Ha! Ned, this is the combine might of the Dothraki Horde and possibly the Golden Company! There is no preparing! The most we can do is hope that the gods are on our side!"

….

…..

…

"Then we just wait and see?", Ned finally asks.

"No", Robert answered, "We'll call a council. Not a small council but one involving the head of every major house in Westeros, I guess almost like a Great Council, if you will. We're going to seek advice as well as feel out which side everyone would be on should the worst come to pass."

"Robert, that's madness! There is no chance that all of the major houses would answer a summon like that!", Ned pointed out.

"Well then it is a good thing that the Hand of the King is an advisory role to the actual King cause I send the summons out via ravens at first light this morning. I even send one to your boy, Robb, so you and I can see personally how he's adapting to his new role as Warden of the North.", Robert replied.

"Robert! After everything that has happen with Cersei, you want more of my family to come down here?!", Ned boom.

"I will personally assign Ser Selmy to oversee his security", Robert started, "Hell, if you want, you can have them stay in the tower with you for safe keeping. But if I'm going to be having the North backing me in a possible war that could spilt Westeros once again in two, I need to see firsthand that the boy knows what he is doing!"

Ned simply shakes his head in defeat, "You're starting to make me regret becoming the Hand of the King again."

"Speaking of that, what the seven hells was that scream I heard this morning coming from your tower?", Robert asks, "Damn noise woke my fat ass up."

"That was...Talion waking up Arya so they could begin their training", Ned answered.

"Are they now? I guess I could take a break from punching the bastard for information and go see how that goes", Robert said as he got up and walks out the door leaving Ned standing there alone.

"Old Gods, give me strength", he prayed as he follows his king.

**Training**

"Are you sure this isn't a little extreme?", Jory asks Talion just as Arya finish her third lap, "Going up and down the tower five times while wearing her sword seems a little much."

"I think I was being fair", Talion said while watching Arya stumbling toward them with sweat streaming down her face and huffing loudly.

"Old...gods...give me...strength", she prays as descends from the tower's stairs for the fifth time and promptly collapse just outside its doors. Jory moves to give her some water as do the two guards at the tower's entrance while Talion just stands there observing it all.

"I suppose I could stand to go easy on her on the first day", Talion said to himself, " _Though the whole point of this is to just make her give up and go home."_

_"Exactly, ranger",_  Celebrimor said, " _Just tired the girl out with pointless exercises until she quits on her own free will."_

Talion was about to says something to the Elven lord when he sense a presence behind him, two to be exact.

Talion turns his head slightly to see a man standing some twelve feet away off to the side of him who could give an orc captain a run for its money in size and ugliness if that burnt face was anything to go off of. He was dress in full body armor along with a great-sword strap to his back along with a longsword at his side and a somewhat bored look on his face while standing next to him was an average size blonde hair teenager who posture suggested that he was someone of high status.

"Can I help you?", Talion asks while wondering why the two of them were staring at him so intensely, well at least the kid was anyway.

"Is that anyway to greet your prince?", the boy snapped in a annoyed tone.

"There are no princes where I come from", Talion answered as he turned his eyes back to Jory and Arya

"And what backwater place are you from?"

"The land of Gondor", Talion reply while still watching Jory help Arya to her feet and starts moving her toward the ranger while the tower entrance guards return to their post.

"Do all the barbarian citizens there treat their betters with such disrespect?", the boy asks.

"Not all, just the ones that haven't earn it", Talion answered, already feeling bothered that this boy's presence.

"I could have The Hound cut you down where you stand for such rudeness!"

" _The Hound? Not the weirdest name I ever heard but still",_ Talion thought as he turn his head to retort back when suddenly Arya spoke first.

"Are you sure your Hound can take on someone who can actually fight back!", he hears her snap in a harsh tone that surprise even him, "Ser Talion is not the son of a butcher!"

"Arya please; now is not the time!", he heard Jory's beg as he looked toward the boy, "Prince Joffrey, please forgive her!"

"I see you still got quite the mouth on you", Prince Joffrey commented while ignoring Jory's words, "Maybe I should do something about shutting it up."

Suddenly Joffrey looks toward Talion with a quizzical look in his eyes, "Talion? You're the man that defeat my uncle Jamie?"

"That dishonorable, third-rate swordsman was your uncle?", Talion questioned while raising an eyebrow, "So that would make that foul woman from yesterday your mother?"

"And your Queen!", Joffrey snaps.

"Gondor doesn't have queens either", Talion shrugged causing Joffrey's irk to grow.

Joffrey abruptly turns around and starts walking away, "I have better things to do then squabble with rabble such as yourself, you're lucky father declare that you're a honor guest or else I would have you thrown in the dungeon for such manners!"

"Oh thank the Old Gods", Jory prayed softly but unfortunately for him Arya wasn't satisfied just yet.

"Like working on your skill with the blade cause you obviously need work on that!", she shouted at his back.

Stopping in his tracks, Joffrey stands there almost motionless except for his shoulders slightly going up and down. Talion could pick up the sound of restrain, heavy, breathing and he also noticed that the prince's hands were shaking slightly.

"Hound!", he yells and the next thing Talion knows the scar face man is moving toward Jory and Arya with an determine, yet almost bored expression on his face, his hand reaching for his blade. Jory pulls out his own blade as so does Arya but compare to the hefty blade the Hound had they might as well be using twigs against him and it look like the tower guards, who were now heading toward them, wouldn't reach them in time, not that they would do any good in Talion's opinion.

" _No average man guards the prince, especially one of that size",_ Talion thought, " _He's also giving off the same aura as a orc captain."_

" _What shall you do ranger?",_ Celebrimor asks.

" _What do you think I'm going to do?",_ Talion replies as he draws Urfael.

" _It would seem the girl is more trouble than she's worth",_ Celebrimor adds.

"It was suppose to be a simple first day of training, not me getting dragged into their petty disputes", Talion thought as he brought his fingers to his lips.

A piercing whistle penetrates the morning air of the courtyard catching everyone's attention, especially the Hound who was only six feet away from Arya and Jory.

"Hound, was it?", the ranger of Gondor says as points Urfael straight at the large man, "From the looks of it you seem like a man who's skilled with the blade; how about you and I have a bout?"

**A/N: So basically Talion will get to meet all the important people in Westeros...after his fight with the Hound of course...and he's still training Arya. At first, I wasn't going to have Robb show up, but decided that King Robert brings up a good point. If the North is going to be backing him up, he needs to see that Robb can go to war. Robert already knows that Ned can lead, but at this point, his oldest son is questionable.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Awaiting the Arrivals  
**

**CLANK!**

Strength.

**BANG!**

Power.

**CRASH!**

Might.

These were the words that went through Talion's mind as Urfael clash with the great-sword wielded by the Hound, going off the vibrations that were being sent through his arms with every blow, this man was stronger than any he has face so far in this new land. While his actual skill with a blade was questionable; beyond a doubt there was a massive amount of force behind his blows, enough that he could easily slash a man in two. Talion suspected that if it wasn't for the durability of the metal use to forge Urfael, he fear that the sword would have already broken in two as it continue to endure the blows set upon it by the Hound.

" _I have bested orc-captains and a few warchiefs who were weaker than him",_ Talion thought as he sidesteps a downward slash, " _And yet for some reason, I'm reminded by The Tower for some reason, lacks actual skill but makes up for it with unrivaled strength."  
_

" _Is it possible for you to stop reminiscing and start paying more attention to the task at hand, ranger?!"_ Celebrimor erupted into Talion's inner mind, " _Preferably before you get slice in half! I failed to see the reason why you feel the need to compliment your enemies, especially when they're trying to kill you!"_

" _Sometimes you have to stop and smell the roses",_ Talion quip as he parries a swing and spins around to deliver a elbow to the Hound's nose, dislocating it and forcing the Hound to stumble backwards, but not before giving his sword a last one-handed swing that force Talion to lean back just barely enough in order to avoid getting his own nose slice off.

"I figure you were one of those honorable cunts!", the Hound said as he fixed his nose back into place with a audible crunch and then blew out a glob of blood, "Guess I was wrong about that!"

"Because I threw a elbow at you?", Talion question.

"Most of these sodden cunts who called themselves knights look down upon punching a man in a duel", the Hound explain as he readies his sword, "At least you're not above fighting dirty."

"Well, if it helps, I'm not a knight", Talion said.

"Oh really?", Sandor raised a eyebrow, "Does your pretty, splinter of a sword have a name?"

"It's called Urfael and it mean "Fiery Gleaming Brilliance"," Talion answers.

"Ha!", Sandor barks, "I take it back! You're a cunt like the rest of them!", as he lunges forward and bring his sword to bear in a downward slash with all of his might. Talion brings Urfael up to bear the full burnt of the attack and felt his whole body shakes as the great-sword collide with it, sending tremors all throughout his body. Even with his enhance supernatural strength, Talion found it harder to push Sandor's blade off than certain orc captains that he face-off against in Mordor. He manage to shove the blade off to his right, but barely had time to repose himself before he saw a heavy-plated fist about to collide with his face. Just as he was about to move out the way, a barrage of images appear in his mind. Memories flood his head of him fighting the Hammer, facing off against the Tower, and his final duel with the Black Hand. But then something else appear…

Soon the Red Keep disappear from view and he was standing in a endless land of white, with snow surrounding him for miles, further than what he could see. Then he notice the icy ocean stretching out beyond the horizon. There were people there as well, but they were unlike the folks of King's Landing. They were dress in furs and armed with rock-like weapons such as spears with stone tips. Another thing that caught his attention was the fact that despite a majority looking like capable fighters, they seem to be in a panic, with everyone running around screaming at the top of their lungs. Suddenly Talion feels a hand on his shoulder and is spun around to come face-to-face with a woman. Her facial features were a blur to him and besides the fact that she was wearing a coat made out of fur, he could only see in detail the necklace seashell around her neck. She started shaking Talion while screaming something that he couldn't make out over her muffle screams.

Soon a bright light, not that much different from the one he saw before he arrive in this land, engulf his vision and he was back in the Red Keep.

"Wha-?", before he is send tumbling backwards by the armor punch, his face now pulsating with pain.

"Heard you were able to best the Kingslayer, but from what I seen so far it must have been just luck", Hound said as he flexs his fingers, keeping a straight face, but internally, " _His face felt like I was punching solid rock."_

" _Smaug's balls, that hurt. Been awhile since I took a blow to the face. Sure, I got hit with arrows every now and then, but punches to the face, not so much",_ Talion thought.

" _Maybe you should be taking this more seriously, ranger",_ Celebrimor chime in.

" _You know, funny thing about that, I am",_ Talion replies as he ducks as sword swing, " _Now about those memories that just barrage my mind."_

" _To be honest, ranger, I have no idea why these memories came up. It might be delay aftereffects of the magic explosion that sent us here to this land",_ Celebrimor confess.

" _And the snow scene?"_

" _I honestly couldn't tell you",_ Celebrimor admits.

" _Well then, I highly suggest that you look into it",_ Talion suggests as he deflect a thrust and delivers a hard kick to Sandor's midsection, forcing him back a couple of feet. He runs forward, fully prepare to continue his assault, only to be force to spin out the way as the Hound's great-sword came streaking toward him, the blade passing so close that he was able to see his own eyes reflecting on the flat side of the sword.

" _This man took a huge risk...that almost paid off",_ Talion though as he recovers and means to hopefully made the Hound surrender seeing how he was not weaponless…

That was until he notice another blade coming toward him out of the corner of his eye and instantly remember that the Hound had a longsword as he quickly brings up Urfael to block the slash, pushing the blade away while pulling out Acharn in a simultaneously fluid motion and placing the sharp edge right on the Hound's throat.

The two warriors stood there, glaring into the others' eyes while everyone else in the courtyard could only stand there in surprise at the outcome of the fight. Prince Joffrey's agape mouth was all that was needed to know what he was thinking.

"But how..how?", the crown prince gasp as both Talion and Hound continue to sneer at one another.

"Well, are you going to do something, you cunt, or are you just going to keep standing there looking into my eyes like you want to fuck me?", the Hound asks with a dark smile.

"Keep pushing me and I might just end you here. Now yield or else", Talion threaten.

"Suck my cock, cunt", was the Hound response and instantly felt the blade on his throat push more on his neck, to the point of drawing blood.

"Seven Hells!", a voice rings throughout the courtyard, as everyone, including Talion and The Hound, look to see King Robert standing there with Ned Stark, Barristan Selmy, and Mandon Moore, face agape in astonishment, "Are you going to fight every Lannister's dog that so much as looks at you wrong? I admire your enthusiastic and all, but you can't go around doing that! Now everyone stand down!"

Talion and the Hound keep up their glaring contest for a few more seconds before Talion finally takes Acharn away from the taller man's neck and sheathing it along with Urfael, his eyes never leaving the Hound's.

"Cunt", was all he said as he put his own longsword away and pushes past Talion to collect his greatsword, never once putting pressure on his neck to slow the bleeding from it. Once he place his sword on his back, he marches out of the courtyard, only looking back to nod at King Roberts and turning to Talion, "Catch you around, you fancy cunt, for this is far from over", and with that he was off.

"Hound! Get back here! I did not give you leave to-", Joffrey screamed out, only to be silence once his father stomping behind him. Joffrey blanch as he slowly turns around to face a fuming king coming straight for him

"Boy! You better not have anything to due with this or so help me, I'll-", he began, only for Ned to intervene.

"Perhaps before we jump to conclusions, we hear him out", Ned suggested as he motions for Jory to bring Arya over , "Prince Joffrey, could you please explain why Talion and Sandor Clegane were fighting?"

Joffrey looks at Ned Stark and then glances at his father, who looked impatiently livid before straightening himself up, "Well, as it is plainly obvious, I was merely strolling through the Red Keep, seeing how my future subjects were going about their day, when all of a sudden this northern savage-", as he pointed at Arya who had cross over the courtyard to her father with Jory.

"Prince Joffrey, with all due respect, would you please refrain from calling my daughter a "savage"?", Ned said only to have Joffrey glare at him. But before he could make a remark, a loud "ahem" from Robert quickly makes him reconsider.

"W-When all of a sudden, Lady Arya ordered that barbarian-", Joffrey resumed.

"I assume that you're talking about me", Talion spoke from behind, causing everyone, including Ned and Robert to step back in surprise.

" _Wasn't he across the courtyard?",_ Ned thought, " _When did he get over here?"_

"Prince Joffrey, was it?", Talion asks the still startle boy, "My name is Talion and I hail from Gondor. Now please, continue with your side of the story", with a look that reminded Joffrey of the lions that were kept in the bowels of Casterly Rock whenever he visited his grandfather.

"I-um,-I", Joffrey stuttered.

"Spit it out, boy!", Robert bellowed before he patience ran out, "You know what? I don't care! Go to your chambers, I'll come see you later about this!", before looking toward Ser Moore.

"See him to his chambers and make sure he stays there until I arrive", he ordered the knight.

"Yes, your Grace."

"But-"

"GO!"

Joffrey, fearing his father's wrath, quickly left the courtyard with Ser Moore following behind him, leaving a smug-looking Arya in his wake…

Or at least she was smug until she saw Talion's face, who cold steel eyes were burrowing into her.

"Why did you antagonize them when they were about to leave?", Talion asks catching both King Robert and Ned's attention, who both turn to the girl.

"Is Talion speaking the truth? Did you antagonize Prince Joffrey?", Ned asks causing Arya to look away from him.

"Well-he...he", she stammer to say before Ned turns to Jory.

"What happen?"

"My hand, when Prince Joffrey and The Hound turn to leave, Lady Arya made a remark about how the prince needs to work on his swordsmanship", Jory explained despite the look Arya was throwing him, "From there, things only accelerate into what his grace and yourself came upon."

Ned turns to send a disappointing look toward his youngest daughter who could only once again look away, "Is this true, Arya?"

"Yes, father", she answers, though with reluctance, "It is."

"Was it necessary to point out Prince Joffrey…flaws in his sword techniques?"

"No, father, it wasn't", Arya said as she looked at the ground.

"I don't no about that, Ned. I glad someone else around here decided to tell him. I mean, I been telling him that for years and he still ain't learn", Robert said, but Ned ignore him.

"You are to go to your room until I decide-", Ned started before Talion interrupted.

"Lord Stark, a word alone, if you please", he said as he led Ned away by his shoulder a good distance away from the rest of the group, whilst all of them were throwing him curious glances.

"Is there something you need, Talion?", Ned asks, wondering what was so important that he had to drag him away so suddenly.

Jory, King Robert, and Arya, could see Talion whispering something to Ned and the Hand was nodding his head frivolously while talking himself.

"Hey, Arya, is it?", King Robert suddenly asks.

"What do you-", Arya started before Jory lightly hit her back with his elbow, "Yes, your Grace", she corrected herself.

"What do you know about this Talion fellow?", he asks, "He seem to put honor before reason just like you northern folks, but when I talk to that old cunt, Maester Pycelle, about any information on this Gondor land of his, he said that he has never heard of that land, but he also said that there are possibly undocumented lands beyond the Sunset Sea and that not all of the continent of Sothoryos has been explore."

"With respect, your grace, I have only known Talion for little over a day, so I know next to nothing about him", Arya answers, careful not to include the bits about what she saw Talion do at the warehouse, "I sure eventually he'll come around and talk more about in time."

"I see", King Robert said.

"Do you wish for us to report to you anything that Talion may tell us?", Jory asks, only for Robert to wave his hand in dismissal.

"No need for that right now", King Robert voice, "While I do want you to keep a eye on him, in case his true intentions are reveal to be traitorous to the crown, he hasn't really done anything that would warrant alarm."

"But you grace, he did try to attack Queen Cersei", Selmy pointed out.

"Aye, and I would have let him to if she wasn't my wife and her golden cunt of a father wasn't Tywin Lannister. Luckily, you were there to stop him and I can't exactly blame him for wanting to kill the whore. Still, if he does it again, I won't be able to turn a blind eye to it. What he did on the docks last night cancels out that little mess", Robert admitted begrudgingly, "Now if you will excuse me, I have to go "lecture" my son", as he turn to leave alongside Ser Selmy, leaving a confuse Jory and Arya in his wake. They turn to look at one another and merely shrug before turning their attention back to Ned and Talion, who were walking back toward them. They both stop right in front of Arya and stare down at her. They continue this for a few more moments, just silently watching her.

" _This could be bad",_ Arya thought as she open her mouth to defend herself, but was quickly silence by her father raising a hand.

He then looks toward Jory…

"You will be coming with me tomorrow back to the blacksmith we visited earlier, we leave at first light", he tells him.

"Yes, my lord", Jory replies.

"I am off now. Talion, see to my daughter's training", Ned nearly smiles as he takes off Ice from his hip and hands it to Jory and then proceed to walk away toward the The Tower of the Hand.

"I thought I was going to get in trouble", she voice, only to freeze up upon seeing Talion's smile.

"Who says you weren't?", he asks he heft Ice in one hand, "Your father instructed me to teach you just how heavy the weight of responsibility your family's name has to it."

The sun was starting to set on the Crownlands as the proper residences of King's Landing were starting to end their daylight activities and turn in for the night while all the less savory folks were beginning to come out of their holes to start their more cutthroat past times. In the courtyard of the Royal Castle of the Seven Kingdoms, in front of the tower where the Hand of the King reside, stood two men watching as a lone figure was currently jogging around the grounds. Sweat was dripping for her forehead, leaving a trial behind her as she struggle to keep going. Her panting breathing was a clear sign that whatever running she was doing earlier was nothing compare to now, especially with the valyrian steel greatsword strap to her back. The same greatsword that her father, a renown warrior throughout the realm, has to use both hands to wield properly.

"I know that I have already ask you before, but don't you think you're being a bit hard on her", Jory wonder, "I mean, Ice is consider heavy even by greatsword standards, and you been having her run ever since your fight with the Hound with few breaks in between."

"It's good for her endurance", Talion shrug as he witness Ayra collapse to her knees some distance away from the two, "I say we call it a day right there. You might want to go fetch her some water."

Jory nods his head and takes off toward the Tower of the Hand in his quest to find substance for the exhausted lady who Talion was walking over to.

"Having a good time?", Talion asks as Arya lean over and had to use her hands for support to keep herself from falling on the ground.

"T-ti-tired", was all that she could stammer out.

"Breath in through your nose and out from your mouth", Talion instructed, "Trust me, you'll get you energy back far quicker."

Arya's eyes widen in shock as she snaps her head up at Talion, "Are...we...still training?"

"No, the deal I made with your father was that training would end at sunset everyday", Talion inform her as he pull out Urfael and hold it high above his head, "My sword, Urfael, is unlike most swords from my homeland. It has magical properties and never dulls."

Arya looks at the glistening sword as it shine in what little sunlight remain, "It's a beautiful sword."

"I suppose it it", Talion agree, "It has slain humans and other monstrosities that I hope your land never comes encounter with. In fact, I stop tallying the kills a long time ago when I found that I couldn't keep up...but despite the countless number of foes whose lives have been ended by its blade, did you know that they all had one thing in common?"

Arya looks at Talion's face and notice it start to harden and he stares down at her with cold, emotionless, eyes….

Right before he thrusts Urfael down straight at her face….

**THUNK!**

Arya's eyes, widen in fright, find themselves staring at the runes that line Urfael, less than a inch in front of her and planted into the ground.

"They all had the intention of killing me from the very beginning, either through orders or through their own free will. What you did this morning force me to intervene in a matter that was already settle at that moment. Not only did you put your own life at risk, you put the lives of Jory and the other men who guard your family as well, for no other reason than your own pettiness.", Talion lectured her.

"It was not petty!", Arya scream up at Talion as she points a finger at him, " Mycah's death was anything but petty!", as tears started to form in her eyes, "He was my friend and the Hound killed him on Joffrey's order!"

Talion looks down at the sobbing girl with emotionless eyes for a moment before speaking, "Jory told me the whole story about what happen during your travels here. About how you got into a scuffle with the prince and he send the Hound at your friend in retaliation."

Arya wipes away her tears and she starts to stand up, "So?"

"My original plan was to just tired you out with until you eventually gave up. I wasn't really planning on teaching you the sword", Talion admitted, but before Arya could protest, Talion continues talking, "But I have change my mind."

" _What are you doing, Ranger?",_ Celebrimor asks, " _This wasn't part of the plan at all",_ but he was ignore.

"Tell me, Arya. Tell me the real reason why you were serious about learning the sword?", Talion asks her, but the girl remains silent, "It was for revenge, wasn't it?"

"Not exactly", Arya finally admits, "I just don't want to sit back anymore while people like the Hound run around doing as they please just become the prince or some other high noble said they could."

"That sounds awfully close to rebellion", Talion warned her, "I don't really care, but it could make your father's life difficult."

Arya says nothing at this comment.

"But revenge is still on your mind; while not your main goal, it's still a part of your reasoning, isn't it?", Talion question to which Arya simply nods.

"Usually, this would be the part where I would tell you to let it go and forget all thoughts of vengeance, but I'm the last person who should be telling you that", Talion explain as he thought back to his time in Mordor, "But know this, revenge never brings back the dead. It didn't bring back my wife and son back and it won't bring this Myach fellow back. "

"So you're saying that you actually going to teach me swordsmanship now?", Arya asks as she finally realize that she still had Ice strap to her back, " _This sword is truly heavy. I wonder how father can wield it so easily."_

"Yes, starting tomorrow", Talion tells her as he sees Jory coming back finally with a jug of water, "But know that I can't guarantee that my training will help you accomplish your goal. It may take many years before you are able to even beat the lowest of knights."

Arya frowns at this.

"But you would also do well to remember that it won't only be you facing the consequences of whatever actions you take upon finishing my training, your family will suffer as well."

"I understand that", Arya said.

"I hope you do", Talion reply as he pull Urfael out of the ground, "Also, there is one more thing you should know, one more piece of advise for today. You shouldn't let others fight the battles that you can fight yourself, even if you can't fight at that time"

**In the Hand's chambers**

Ned Stark was currently starting at _**The Lineage and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms**_ book, deep in thought.

" _I felt like I was being watch the other day when I went to Tobho's shop",_ Ned thought, " _Someone else may know what Gendry's real identify is and if I leave him out in the city, there is a high chance that he could be in danger and I can't smuggle him to the north without raising alarm, especially with that eunuch no doubt watching my every move, what am I going to do?"_

He looks out the window and see Talion, Arya, and Jory, all heading back to the tower and notices that his daughter had Ice on her back and seem to be walking with it as though she has been carrying it for years.

A faint smile appears on his face before a thought occurs to him, " _The tower has a blacksmith shop in its basement that hasn't been use since the Dance of Dragons. Perhaps keeping Gendry nearby, here in the castle where I can keep a eye on him, is safer than out there. I have to find a excuse to tell anyone who asks but I'm sure I can come up with something. Beside, even the lion dares not approaches the wolf's den even if it lies in the middle of its territory."_

**Two weeks later**

**In Front of the Tower of The Hand**

"Ready?", Talion asks as he look toward Jory on his left holding a wooden long-sword while on his right Arya stood ready with her own single practice long-sword with both her hands, "Begin!"

Jory makes the first move as he moves with a downward slash to which Arya sidesteps right out of the way and aims a strike down toward his expose left leg only to have Jory to swing his sword from its position after Arya sidestep and knock it away. Luckily for Arya, her two-handed grip kept it from flying away as she use the momentum from the blow to spin around and deliver a hard strike to Jory's right shoulder which the northern solider was barely able to block in time. Arya once again spun herself, only this time she duck down while doing so and once again try to strike at Jory's left leg, only this time he simply move his leg back in order to evade the attack. Arya was still going with the motion from her spin and was unable to stop in time as her sword sweeps by Jory's entire body and thus leaving her open to attack; which Jory took advantage of as he place his sword on her neck before she could re-position herself.

"Enough!", Talion shouted while shaking his head a little, "Arya, while you were being creative with using the force behind Jory's deflection to try to land a blow on him, the fact that you put too much force into your own spin and left yourself wide open clearly shows that you were not thinking ahead of the possible outcomes of your attack."

"I can't think that quick!", Arya counter, "That whole fight took only about seven seconds!"

"Five to be exact but the point is that if you don't think of the possible outcomes of your strikes then you are doom to die the first time you fight someone with real steel. One second could be the difference between life or death in a fight and until you realize that, anyone with even a little bit more experience under their belt will best you", Talion lecture before hearing footsteps behind him and glances over his shoulder to see a young man dress in a blacksmith's apron standing there with a newly-crafted sword in hand.

"Ah, Gendry, how are you today?", Talion asks.

"Doing good, Ser Talion", the boy answers.

"Gendry, we talked about this", Talion said, "I'm not a knight."

"But they say you defeated the Kingslayer", Gendry reply, "Surely, only a knight of great renown could do that."

" _I wonder how far word of that has spread",_ Talion thought before Celebrimor erupted into his mind.

" _Maybe you could find out, ranger-",_ he said.

" _Here we go again",_ Talion thought.

" _If you would leave this place and try to find a way back to Middle Earth! You were suppose to just tired the girl out until she quit, not actually teach her swordplay!"_

" _I not having this discussion with you again, Celebrimor,",_ Talion told him before he notices Gendry looking at him, "Is there a problem?"

"I was going to ask you that same question. You look like you were deep in thought", the blacksmith replied, "Anyway, I'm here to have Jory take a look at the sword he asks me to make for one of his guards."

"Jory!", Talion calls out, "Take a break, Gendry has a sword for you to inspect!"

Talion walks over to Arya, passing Jory, as he plan on instructing her more on her sword technique. He was actually quite surprise how adaptable the girl was with the blade but then Jory and Ned did mention that other than some lessons she receive at Winterfell, she was also taught for a while by a sword master named Syrio Forel.

" _It's shame he had business to attend to back home, I would have like to seen this water dancing style of his",_ Talion thought as he begins to speak to Arya, only to notice that the girl wasn't paying him any attention as all of it was focus behind him.

" _And here we go again",_ Talion thought as he follows her eyesight and saw that she was indeed looking at Gendry while he went over the sword properties with Jory, " _I guess the fact that he is at least four years older than her doesn't deter her in the slightest."_

At first, Talion thought little of it when Ned brought the young blacksmith into the castle in order for him to work as the Hand of the King's blacksmith, supplying the guard and the Hand himself with armor and weaponry, even though the Red Keep had its own master blacksmith who really wasn't flooded with work or anything. It only became a slight problem when he notice that Arya couldn't take her eyes off the boy whenever he was around, this included during training.

Talion did find it a bit odd when he notice that the boy bare somewhat of a resemblance to King Robert, though he thought nothing of it. But when Gendry mention to him that Ned said that he couldn't going walking around the castle by himself and to avoid the royal family as much as possible, he decided to question Jory about it, but the Captain of the Hand's guard was tight lip about the whole thing.

Before Talion could continue any further with his thoughts, he sees Ned coming over to them with a somewhat annoying look on his face as he went up to Arya.

"Arya", he said, breaking her out of her trance, "I need you to go get dress and meet Sasha and I in the throne room within the hour."

"Why?"

"The first of the Great Houses has arrive in the city and will be here shortly", Ned inform her as Jory and Gendry came up to him, "Jory, prepare a guard detail to escort both Sansa and Arya to the throne room."

"Yes, My lord", Jory nodded as he left to make preparation, while Arya and Gendry follow behind them, the girl never taking her eyes off him.

"Talion, I feel you have to be inform about something before it's too late", Ned started as he shook his head a little.

"What is it?"

"The house that has arrive is House Martell of Dorne and they may cause quite a stir here soon", Ned said, "House Martell shut themselves off from the affairs of Westeros after Robert's Rebellion and has barely maintain contact with the royal family."

"How is this a problem?"

"The Crownlands, which we are in right now, are surrounded by the Riverlands, The Stormlands, and The Vale. Dorne is past the Stormlands, so the fact that they came to King's Landing before any of the houses of those regions has put King Robert and myself on edge about their intentions", Ned explained, "Also the fact that the Red Viper seem to be the one leading the retinue."

"The Red Viper?", Talion echo.

"The brother of the head of House Martell. A renown warrior throughout Westeros and Essos across the sea. The man lives for the thrill of a fight and from what I heard, never passes up a opportunity to fight a worthy opponent. The fact that word of you beating the Kingslayer has more than likely reach his ears worries me."

"Are you telling me that I should be worried?", Talion asks.

"I'm saying that you should avoid a fight if you can. All the Great Houses across the Seven Kingdoms will be here soon, some of which were fighting one another no less than seventeen years ago, nine if you include the Greyjoy's rebellion. This is not even counting the hundreds of years of wars they have fought with one another before the Targaryens came", Ned explained.

"Maybe I should just avoid contact with them until they all leave?", Talion suggested.

"That would be the wise choices, but King Robert specifically ask that you been there when any of the Great Houses arrive. We both believe that all of these houses will be sending their strongest knights as a show of force to the other houses and the king does not want to look weak in their eyes. Not only is the entire Kingsguard, excluding the Kingslayer, going to be there but Jory, the Hound, and myself, as well", Ned said before leaning in close, "Frankly, I believe that Robert doesn't want to be in the same room with Oberyn alone. The man is known to be extremely knowledgeable in poisons, so much that it is believe that he coats his weapons with them."

" _Coating weapons in poison, how original",_ Talion thought, thinking back to all the times in Mordor he was hit by a poison arrow. Thankfully, his "One with Nature" rune on Acharn makes him immune to poison.


	10. Chapter 10

**The Desert Heat (Revise)**

**On the Capital road leading to King's Landing**

"My love, remind me again why I have come to this stinking, shit-pile of a city?", the Red Viper asks as he rode on his horse alongside his Paramour, Ellaria Sand down the streets of the capital, his advance guard and the Gold Cloaks ahead of them, clearing the way.

"Your brother wishes for you to represent him at this "Great Council" that the Usurper is holding", she answers with a smile, "And you know how much you hate to say no to your brother."

"True, but I don't see the reason why I have to play babysitter to my niece and nephew, even if I do love as if they were my own", Oberyn said as he looks behind him at Arianne Martell, whose exotic beauty was making every men they rode by, as well as a few women, turn their heads in stunning awe. While on the other hand, her brother, Quentyn, merely turn his face away in embarrassment from the prostitutes that were sending him lewd gestures. The fact the Oberyn deliberate took a route that went along the Street of Silk didn't help matters.

"You know you love them both, otherwise you wouldn't have brought the type of men that you did to ensure their safety", as she motion toward Daemon Sand, one of the finest swords in all of Dorne. Even though he squire under Oberyn and even received his knighthood from him, the fact that he took Arianne's maidenhood when they were only fourteen did nothing to improve relations between him and Doran. She then turns her attention toward Area Hotah, captain of House Martell's house-guard, who was scanning the crowd while holding his long-axe at the ready, poise to jump to the defense of the sons and daughters of House Martell. Strangely enough, it was the last person of the male guard entourage that gave her pause, for she still wonder what convince her love to bring Gerold Dayne along for this trip. The "Darkstar" of House Dayne was consider dangerous, even by Oberyn, and he was the same man who spare his life in a duel a couple years back even though he had every right to kill him. Yet here he was, protecting the future of House Martell, alongside about a hundred House Martell guards as well.

Luckily Oberyn had the sense to bring along a couple of his dangerous daughters as well to boost the guard. Obara Sand, with her spear laid back lazily on her shoulder, Nymeria Sand, with her whip at her side and eyeing the people she rode by, and finally, Tyene Sand, who while she looked completely harmless; her mother knew that she had more than a dozen daggers hidden throughout her wardrobe.

"Do you think that the man who bested the Kingslayer is still here in this fuckery of a city?", Oberyn asks, snapping Ellaria out of her thoughts, "I would very much like to meet this man, perhaps exchange a few pointers on fighting and whatnot with him."

"Pointers?", Ellaria repeats as she raises a eyebrows, to which Oberyn shrug, "It matters not, I doubt a man who fights the Kingslayer, whether he wins or loses, can stay in the capital for much longer afterwards, especially with all the Lannister's filth that soils this place."

"You never know, my dear", Oberyn replies, "Maybe one day I will meet the man who can get my heart racing again in a fight…or in bed, whichever comes first."

"Do you think we could get a shot at him first,?", Obara asks while both Nymeria and Tyene smile in agreement, "It has been sooooo long since any of us have had a challenge."

"I know", Nymeria whine, "I haven't use my whipping arm seriously in so long."

"And my daggers have gotten so shiny from cleaning them that I can see my reflection!", Tyene added, "I need someone to test my new poisons out on as well."

Oberyn smiles and blooms with pride at the thought of knowing that his daughters have indeed inherited his thirst for worthy opponents, "Tell you what, if by the grace of the gods we should meet this man and he proves to be as good as the rumors say, we'll make it a family affair."

**Back at the Red Keep**

Endless white.

For the third time since his bout with the Hound, he was in a land of endless white, surrounded on three sides by land and one side by sea, once again in the midst of people screaming and running for their lives, from what he still didn't know. Once again he is being shook by the same woman and even though he still couldn't make out her distinctive features, they were starting to become less and less burly each time he was brought to this place. This time though he started to notice a few new things about this place. Judging by the nets that were hung up and the crudely built docks that went out into the water, Talion piece together that this was most likely a fishing village. He then heard a howling screech over the screams that made his blood run cold as it cause every man, woman, and child to freeze in place and look toward the source of it. Talion too turns his eyes in the direction of the scream and lays them on a wooden wall that was on the edge of the village.

But it seem his time was up as once again a bright light fills his vision and he ends up back in the throne room of the castle, alongside Ned, Arya, Sansa, the royal family, The Hound, The Kingsguard, Varys and Jory.

" _It would seem that with every vision, details are getting more clearer for you, ranger",_ Celebrimor commented.

" _But what does it all mean?",_ Talion wonder.

" _I honestly couldn't tell you, Talion",_ Celebrimor reply as Talion is brought out of the conversation by the king's voice.

"I don't like it, Ned", Robert complain from his place on the Iron Throne, "I half-expected the Martells not to send anyone. Seven hells, I expected those Targaryen loyalists to send a cask of poison wine instead of the Red Viper!"

"While it is strange that Dorne has answer your call for a Great Council, we shouldn't do anything that could possibly turn them away from the crown. Remember, Dorne has never been conquer by force, not even with the dragons", Ned advise.

Robert stroke his chin, thinking about Ned's words, "Right! Everyone that doesn't have a sword on them, begone!"

"What madness has engulf your logic of thinking now, dear husband", Cersei snarks, earning a glare from the king.

"I fought against the Dornish at the Trident and they refuse to send aid during the Greyjoy's uprising. The way of the sword means a lot to them and I will not greet the Red Viper with a bunch of puff-up, dress-up, little boys and girls along with a snake of a queen! I want him to see first hand a small taste of the crown's forces! Now like I said, if you don't have a sword on you, begone from the throne room! Have someone fetch me my warhammer and dammit Ned, put your sword somewhere it can be seen! Hound, get your Lannister's dog ass behind me and look intimidating!"

"So you would kick your own family out but allow the man who has attack them on multiple occasions to stay", as the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms shots Talion a venomous look, "If my father was here he would have already had the man executed, not remain a guest in these halls."

"Woman, your father can be here and stay here until the Stranger comes for us all, but as long as I am king, I say who loses their head and who doesn't. I'm about to be in a room with the Red Viper and the Seven knows whoever else he brought along with him from that accursed land of his. I need every skill swordsman the Red Keep here has in order to appear strong; and who better else than the man who whip your brother, huh?", Robert chuckle as he wave his hand in dismissal, "Now, off with ye!"

With resounding steps, Cersei departed the throne room in a fuss, follow by her three children. Afterwards Sansa and Arya depart as well, with members of the Hand's guard forming a perimeter around them as they exit the room.

Talion recalls that ever since the fight with the Hound, the attempted assaults on the Starks has decrease, though this did nothing to ease the tension between the two families as Talion has witness whenever he observe them in close proximity with one another. As for himself and his interaction with the royal family, well let just say that his days went better when either one of three things happen: Arya actually does well in her training, Celebrimor keeps his annoyance toward them still being here to a minimum, and the only Royal family member he interacted with was King Robert; though he will admit that Tommen and Myrcella are far too kind to be relate to Joffrey and Queen Cersei.

The sound of running footsteps down the hall of the throne room as a Lannister guard came running through the doors.

"Your grace, House Martell has arrive!", he announce, catching everyone in the room attention, especially King Robert, who had just receive his warhammer from a castle servant.

"Well, who did the viper bring with him?", the king asks.

"Sire, it would seem that Arianne Martell and Quentyn Martell have arrive with his entourage, as well as Gerold Dayne of House Dayne", the guard proceed to say, "There is also a number of women as well in his retinue, though they are just as arm as the men."

"You don't think he brought those bastard daughters of his as well, Varys?", the king ask the Master of Whispers, while Ned had to restrain himself from pointing out the irony that someone like him was asking a question like that.

"Your grace, the Sand Snakes are among the most cunning and deadliest warriors in the land of Dorne. Seeing how he brought along Doran Martell's two oldest children, I would not put it pass Oberyn to bring his own", the eunuch reply and Talion gave him a wary look. Ever since he had become somewhat of a permanent residence in the castle, he had a strange feeling that he was being watch by that man. The one time he use his wraith's vision on him, he was surprise to find that the man was practically glowing green, much like the urak in Mordor who had information on the orc leadership.

" _I should be mindful of that man",_ Talion thought as a group, mainly consisting of people of smooth olive skin and black hair, entered the throne room, being led by a man who gave off the same aura as a warchief, deadly, powerful, and a man who has proven himself in combat time and time again.

"King Robert Baratheon, I Prince Oberyn Martell, brother of Prince Doran Martell, Lord of Sunspear, of House Martell of Dorne, humbly expression our gratitude for being invited to the beautiful city of King's Landing", Oberyn said as he took a bow and motion for Arianne and Quentyn to move up toward him, "I also bring my nephew, Prince Quentyn Martell, first son of my brother and well as my niece, Princess Arianne Martell."

Both Arianne and Quentyn bow respectfully to King Robert, "Your Grace", they said.

A good half of minute of silence pass as King Robert took in the entirely of House Martell's retinue. He explicitly stated in all of the letters to the Great Houses of Westeros that while they could bring no more than a hundred house-guards with them to the capital, none of them would be entering the Red Keep, only nobility and esteemed bodyguards were allow. It seem Dorne went out of its way to recruit only the best swords they had for the job, as though they were openly mocking him.

" _No doubt the other houses will be bringing their best as well. I hope Stannis and Renly don't fuck this up and bring a bunch of craven cunts with them. I'll strip them both of their titles and put Shireen in charge of the Stormlands, greyscale be damn!"_

"I look for you on the Trident that day", he finally spoke aloud to Oberyn, "I figure you would have been there alongside your uncle, but you were nowhere to be found. Our duel would have been one that the bards would have sing about for ages."

If Prince Oberyn was surprise by Robert's choice of words, he did not show it on his face, merely chuckling as he look at Robert's warhammer by his side, "Unfortunately, I was across the sea in Essos on some sellswords business when word of the battle reach me. Though if you want….", as he snap his finger and Daemon Sand presents him with a ash spear eight feet long with a steel spearhead that reminded Talion of a serpent's tongue with a spike on the other end, "We can have the duel you so long for all those years ago, right here and now."

The throne room fell silence as everyone look between King Robert, whose hand tighten around the grip of his warhammer, and back at Oberyn, who held his infamous spear at the ready, pointing the blade at the king's heart. Ser Selmy, along with the rest of the Kingsguard, put their hands on the grips of their swords, waiting for the first sign of aggressive from the Dorne party, or an order from the King. Jory, Ned, and even the Hound move to mimic their move as everyone waited on bate breath for something to happen; all the while Talion merely took in the everyone in the room.

" _This Red Viper is no doubt skill if this many people are put on guard just by his words and gestures",_ Talion thought, though it was the man behind Oberyn, the one with silver hair, that also set the ranger on edge.

"Bahahahahaha!", Robert's booming laughter resound as he let go of his warhammer to clap his hands, "I been in King's Landing for so long that I almost forgot that you Dornish have a unique sense of humor!"

Prince Oberyn return the laugh in kind and pretty soon everyone, excluding the Hound, Aero Horath, and Talion, were laughing in the courtroom, their hands move from their sword handles, even though the unease tension was still clearly there.

"If I may, your grace, might I ask why you have call for all the Great Houses to meet here in the Capital ?", the Red Viper asks.

"When all the representatives of the Great Houses arrive, then the reason behind this gathering shall be disclose", Ned announce, catching Oberyn's attention.

"Ah, the honorable Ned Stark", Oberyn said as he started walking toward him, "Word reach my ears that you were the new Hand of the King. Tell me, what makes a northern like you want to leave your Old Gods and come down to the south?"

Ned stares at Oberyn for a moment before answering, "Loyalty. Loyalty to my king and to the realm."

"Then may your loyalty be a shining example to us all, speaking of which...", as Oberyn made a hand gesture to Gerold, who came forward, "This is Gerold Dayne of House Dayne. I heard that after your victory over Arthur Dayne all those years ago, you rode all the way to Starfall to return their ancestral sword, Dawn, even though you clearly could have kept it with no repercussions. It wasn't like Dorne was going to march on the way up to the north to reclaim it."

"What honor would there have been in that?", Ned question causing both Oberyn and Gerold to laugh.

"On behalf of House Dayne, I once again thank you for returning Dawn to us", Gerold bows and send Ned a smile that send shivers down the Hand's spine.

Oberyn once again surveys the hall and takes great interest in the Kingsguard surrounding the Iron Throne, "If my memory serves me correct, there are suppose to be seven knights of the Kingsguards. Why do I only see six? Where is the Kingslayer?"

"Hah! Those golden cunt of a knight fled to the Westerlands after the beating he took!", Robert roars as he points toward Talion, "And that's the man who sent him packing!"

All eyes of the Dorne retinue turn towards Talion who was a good distance from the edge of the group that was presented in front of the Iron Throne.

"You are the man that bested the Kingslayer in single combat?", Oberyn asks as he slowly approach Talion.

"I am."

"Tell me, what is your name?"

"I am Talion, Ranger of Gondor", Talion replies.

"Gondor? I have never heard of this land", Oberyn admits as the grip on his spear tighten, an act that did not go unnoticed by Talion.

"Most people here haven't", Talion told him, his eyes ever so often glancing on Oberyn's spear.

"What house are you sworn to, if I may ask?"

"I'm sworn to no houses here in Westeros", Talion admitted.

"Do you not swear loyalty to the king?"

"I have taken no oath of loyalty to King Robert even though he is allowing me to stay here. But I am the sword instructor for The Hand of the King's daughter", Talion added.

"A foreign sword instructor for a northern girl bested the Kingslayer", the Viper laugh, "Now there's a song for the bards."

"I keep hearing tales about how his blade work is one of the best in the land", Talion commented, "Makes me wonder if it nothing more than tall tales."

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. But I wonder if you and I could exchange a few bouts while we wait for the rest of the lords to arrive?", Oberyn asks, "Purely sparring of course, first blood at best."

Talion raises a eyebrow and looks toward Ned for some sign as to whether or not he should accept this challenge. When he receive a slight nod from the Hand of the King, he spoke, "When would you prefer we have this spar?

"Let me go change into more comfortable clothes and we can have it in the courtyard within the hour", Oberyn said as he took a bow toward King Robert, "Your Grace."

Robert nods back, "See our guests to their quarters ", before a thought occurs to him, "Also, make the arena ready. I got nothing else going on today, so I might as well watch this spar of theirs. That shouldn't be a problem if I move your spar there, will it?"

"We would be honor to have you grace us with your presence, your grace. And thank you for let us use the Royal Arena", and with that Oberyn and the entire Dornish retinue walk out of the throne room, led by the castle servants.

"His eyes tell me that he is a man who has face death countless times and has come out on top", Oberyn told Ellaria as they made their way out.

"You think he will be worth your time?", Ellaria wonder as they enter the hallway.

"I think this trip to this stinking, shit pile of a city might not be such a waste after all", Oberyn smile.

**Preview of Next Chapter**

"Brienne of Tarth?!", Robert voices boom in his royal chamber at both of his brothers, "You bought Brienne of fucking Tarth?! You brought a woman with you as a guard?"

"Actually, dear brother", Renly interjected, "We brought Lord Selwyn Tarth and he merely brought his daughter along."

"Don't you get smart with me, Renly!", Robert screamed before the sound of swords clashing loudly in the courtyard beneath his room caught his attention, "What the Seven Hells is going on now?!"

Stannis looks out the window and almost smiles, "It would seem that the sword instructor for Ned Stark's daughter is squaring off against, as you put it Robert, Brienne of fucking Tarth."


End file.
